On my desk at home I have a postcard which features a painting of the 1850’s Clipper “Lightning” which was built for the Black Ball Line. On its first voyage from Liverpool to Melbourne a passenger’s nerves were a little ragged due to the Captain’s “cracking on”. He approached Captain James Forbes better known as Bully Forbes and stated that he thought the Captain’s “dare-devil tactics would take ship, crew and passengers to hell.” Bully replied; “Hell or Melbourne in 60 days.” The Captain was renowned as an extraordinary seaman but also as an atrocious bully who kept his crew in order at the point of his revolver. He had the halyards padlocked to prevent any reduction in sail. That was how he “cracked on” and how others cracked.
1852 and the Victorian gold rush was in full swing. Bully Forbes was the Captain of “Marco Polo”. Other ships’ captains told of not being able to get crew no matter how high the wages offered. Their crews had caught “gold fever” and abandoned their posts. Determined not to suffer the same fate, Bully Forbes had his own crew imprisoned by the Victorian Police on cooked up charges of insubordination. When it was time to leave for England, he paid their fines and had them returned directly to the ship.
Forbes captained several other ships until his sea days ended in 1866. He died in 1874 at only fifty-two years old. His behaviour ensured his name would be remembered in maritime history more as a bully than a great seaman.
Leading by willing consent is a better option than by fearful obedience, exercised through brutality, lying and cheating. It is not just “Cracking on” it is how you crack on that matters. The ends can never justify the means unless you are blind to harassment and injustice. The manner and method by which we get things done is important. So our behaviour needs to be ethical and moral if we are to be true leaders who exercise moral authority and leaders who legitimately command respect.
Do you use violence, veiled threats, emotional blackmail, intimidation and power? Are your “nasty tactics” to get your own way at home or work, nothing more than bullying behaviours?
What do you want to be remembered for? Your skill in safely and respectfully navigating life or just for being a Bully?
There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community. Proverbs 6:16-19
For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. 2 Tim 1:7
eChap’s prayer for today
Lord, I don’t always raise my voice but I have learned ways to exercise power in polite looking but hurtful and unhelpful ways. I think I am a clever but you see me as I am. Remind me not to act like a bully then I will not be one. Pester my conscience so that I can never harass others. Help me not to see an apparition of Bully Forbes when I look at myself in the mirror. In Jesus Name. Amen.