I listened to a speaker recently who was trying to inspire and motivate the crowd related to leadership. She reinforced her main points by highlighting examples of leadership gone wrong.
This tactic is ineffective, no matter the crowd or the context.
When we highlight poor behavior, all we're saying is: "Be better than the worst examples I can find."
Rather, we need to set a high bar, calling attention to those who have succeeded, who are accomplishing great things and doing good work. When we do, we say, "Be better than the best."
There's a large chasm between "better than the worst" and "better than the best" but only one side worth being on.
Who are you holding up as your shining example?