Many of These, Few of Those

America is a land of abundance. A land of excess in many regards. Most Americans are overstuffed, to the point where roughly 40% of U.S. adults are obese and another third of the population is overweight. U.S. residents are flush with possessions, with the average family worth nearly three-quarters of a million dollars. Americans own more than 140 million pets and spend well over $130 billion on them annually. Our nation is even more fond of guns, owning more than 430 million weapons, generating more than $80 billion a year in revenue for the firearms industry.

But there is scarcity, too. Many go hungry. An alarming and growing number are unhoused. The aforementioned average net worth is skewed by the fact that over a quarter of the wealth is held by a tiny fraction of households worth more than $30 million each. Some of what’s in shortest supply is what’s most needed. Hope. Optimism. Faith. Kindness. Tolerance. Generosity. Mercy.

Leadership is one of those scarce resources. Bosses, oh,…