Opening the Curtain on a Different Act....

Image: Khan Academy

When we go to the theatre, there's a simple device to let us know things are changing.

We move to a new Act. Whether it's a three or five act play, there's a structure. It's variously a symbol, or a ceremony depending on your point of view, but the thing is, we know change is arriving. There will be a change of pace. New actors will appear. There will be a twist. The intent of the characters will start to emerge.

It's a shame we can't do that with our leaders. Too many seem to think they are still in a previous Act, and continue to do what they've always done even though the audience can see the changes.

We are leaving an age of relative certainty - not at the detail level, but we knew the rules in the last Act. We knew who was in charge, how the system worked and how to play our part in it.

We seem to have started the next Act. We can see it and sense it, but iit seems nobody has told our leaders. Hirearchical "thou shalt" hubris is in full swing, whether it's dictatin…