DO NOT Let it Get THAT Bad…

A man named David Kellerman was found dead this morning, hanged in his basement.

That name may not resonate unless you've been keeping up with current investigations at the eupho-governmental agency Freddie Mac. Until 5 am this morning or so the now late Mr. Kellerman was serving as acting chairman of Freddie. Tragically, he leaves behind a wife and young daughter. Kellerman was 41 years old.

According to the Baltimore Business Journal:

"Nearly half of Freddie Mac's $50.1 billion net loss in 2008 occurred during Kellermann's first full quarter as acting CFO, or soon after it was taken under the government's control. The company reported a net loss of $23.9 billion for the quarter ended Dec. 31, or $7.37 per diluted share, compared with a fourth-quarter 2007 loss of $2.5 billion, or $3.97 per diluted share."

Freddie Mac has been under investigation by the SEC and the Justice Department in relation to their accounting practices. Kellerman has been an auditor and analyst at Freddie for 16 years prior to becoming CFO. Did he take his life for some reason related to this investigation? Was it the pressure? Was it a combination?

It doesn't matter.

That may sound harsh but the gloves are off. Kellerman is not the first top-tier executive to commit suicide over the past few years. Add the rash of murder/suicides over the past few weeks by people who recently lost jobs or faced other financial hardship and we've got an emergency on our hands.

There will be some who say it's time for reflection. Bullshit; it's time to do something and now.

1. Before we do anything else we've got to return to traditional values of personal responsibility, perseverance, courage, honor and honesty. We've got to trumpet these values loudly and indoctrinate our culture with these values at all ages.
   
2. We've got to start sticking our collective finger in some chests and hold people accountable for their greed, arrogance and audacity when those behaviors cross ethical and legal limits.
   
3. We've got to become engaged in one another's lives again. The quiet-guy-next-door who never-bothers-anyone does not suddenly commit murder and suicide. These are the acts of desperate and isolated people. In the typical epilogue to these stories co-workers, neighbors, friends and family start to recognize symptomatic behaviors. It's time to start paying attention before when someone is standing quietly on the edge of the cliff instead of after he's jumped.
   

It's ignorant to say that anyone other than the guy with the gun or the rope is responsible for any of these deaths. On the other hand, too many of us have grown distant from the people around us. We don't want to interfere. We don't want to rock the boat. We don't want to get anyone angry or upset. We don't want to provoke.

Fear, doubt and complacency are the causes of the failure of our society; and yes, I say we're in a state of failure. To call it anything else is irresponsible. To wallow in this sad state is stupid, lazy and inexcusable. By and large we're a compassionate, ambitious and even disciplined people. It's time for the good silent people to speak up and the good spectators to get in the game. It's time to share the power you have by teaching others how to live with honor, dignity and discipline.

It's time to teach others how to face fears with courage.

Courage is not the absence of fear; the absence of fear is stupidity. It's right and natural to have fear when you're facing a federal investigation, the loss of your job or the foreclosure of your home. It takes courage to face these challenges and do what it takes to get past them. It takes emotional and spiritual resources to see you through the tough times. This support can and often should come from people around you who should be willing to help. Emotional and spiritual support is often more valuable than material support at these times.

It's easy to say you'd never consider taking your own life, much less anyone else's. I'm sure most of these people felt the same way for most of their lives. Most of us at some point will face some adversity that causes to wonder what the point is to the whole mess. Can we continue to live the "full catastrophe?"

If you're feeling desperate, trapped, isolated, angry or hopeless ask for help; now. If you know someone who else who is nearing the edge of the cliff, reach out a hand; now!

The gloves are off; there's no help once you're dead. No matter how bad things may be, as long as you're drawing breath you have a chance to create a new vision of success and happiness, but that chance starts with you. Reach out; people do care and are willing to help! By helping one another we truly share the power that can change our world!

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Jim Bouchard is America's Black Belt POWERVATOR!, speaker, coach & author of Dynamic Components of Personal POWER. Get your personalized copy at JimBouchard.org!