Dare to Speak

Sitting with the leadership team of one of our clients the other day, we were discussing the impact of the changes that had occurred in the business world over the last 18 months. We also focused on the impact that there had been on the business. It had been 'devastating', a 'horrible experience' and similar expressions. There had been redundancies, cash flow problems due to non payments for work legitimately carried out. All in all the whole thing was getting a bit depressing.

Then there was a change. One of the Directors suddenly said, "I'm fed up with all this doom and gloom. It seems as though we always talk about the same depressing things when we get together". Quite taken aback the other Directors tried to pull this individual back into the pit of despondency because that's where they were. Quite voracious were they in there appetite for self pity that they almost succeeded, but he stood his ground. A champion for a different way of thinking and boy had he been giving it some thought. So now came words. His thought had drummed up courage. The courage to stand out with a different opinion, the courage to see how things were and not wrapped up in words like disastrous, depressing, awful and such like.

Well did he get going with his words. He wasn't going to take no for an answer. As his declaration of a new way of being continued there were changes in the others, almost imperceptive at first but there nonetheless. As he continued the pressure for change rose like a great geyser blowing off. Well that was enough, the others started throwing in their ideas talking about what could be and what they could do.

At the end of the meeting the team were a team unified behind the 'dare to speak', 'the odd man out'. They had even constructed the bones of an action plan where all the aspects seemed feasible and practical. Not at all pie in the sky.

Do you wish sometimes your colleagues were a bit like that, prepared to speak the courage of their convictions and beliefs rather than just trying to ride out the storm. If you do tell them this story, also tell them that there is no doom and gloom, there are no disasters, no hard times. There is just our reaction to what's happening. That reaction is the only thing we have control over. Nothing else.

Remember - thought - word - deed. Be creative with your thinking, declare to the world what you will do and then - GO AND DO IT

David Pickering
Consultant

http://www.london.dalecarnegie.com/