Perhaps the most beloved musical in Western culture is “My Fair Lady.” In 1912 George Bernard Shaw wrote the precursor, “Pygmalion,” a witty romantic comedy peppered with social criticism. To satisfy his curiosity, and win a bet from his friend Colonel Pickering, the opinionated, pompous Professor Henry Higgins undertakes to make a lady out of Eliza Doolittle, a poor girl selling flowers from a cart. Shaw based his script on the work of Ovid who wrote about a sculptor who fell in love with the statue he created. Much to his surprise, Professor Higgins fell in love with the person he created in Eliza Doolittle.
On one occasion, when asked how she learned good manners, Eliza explains, “It was very difficult. I should never have known how ladies and gentlemen behave if it hadn't been for Colonel Pickering. He showed me that he felt and thought about me as if I were something better than a common flower girl. You see . . . the difference between a lady and a flower girl isn't how she behaves, but how she is treated. I'll always be a flower girl to Professor Higgins, because he always treats me as a flower girl and always will. I'll always be a lady to Colonel Pickering, because he always treats me as a lady, and always will.”
Leadership development expert Anthony Bell, http://leaderdevelopmentinc.com/, uses Eliza’s monologue as an entrée to discuss leadership. Bell recommends that we question our preconceived ideas and adjust our perceptions going forward. He asks:
· What are your expectations for them? Think several years out: what do you think they could become?
· When you look at them, do you see mostly weaknesses or strengths?
· If you see mostly weaknesses, are these weaknesses a matter of reality or a function of perception?
· If you were them, would you be flattered and challenged, or hurt and misunderstood by your perception of them?
· What would they say are your expectations of them?
· What strengths need developing that could make them shine?
· If you decide that your perception of their limitations is justified and accurate, in what role or context could they shine?
“Distance is the enemy of impact. You cannot deeply impact someone without getting close to them,” warns Bell.
What implications does this idea present to schools?
