Find Your Voice, Consult With Your Own Organization
Where exactly do you look when you’ve lost your voice? It’s not like you can find it underneath the couch cushions or behind the filing cabinet. When did your voice disappear?
In a previous life, one where I could comfortably use the words, crappy and job in the same sentence (under my breath or out at a bar with friends), I used to tuck my real voice in my bag on the way into work. It was conveniently buried under my fear and my need to be liked. I substituted it with the pre-programmed, Kool-Aid consuming, yes I’ll get right on that, whatever you say, voice.
Where did you put yours? You know where it is… so go get it!
Here’s your chance! Put a different hat on today. Take a new look at the issues facing your organization. Take yourself out of the middle of it and see it with new eyes. Ask yourself,
“If I were hired to consult with my organization, what would I advise?”
After you answer that question, dig out your voice, brush it off and speak up! Don’t be a jerk about it…just say what you need to say. Stop being part of the silent approval process and share your perspective. I think you will be glad you did.
Too bad the people in the mortgage and banking industry didn’t ask themselves that question, before making no income/no asset verification loans.
(Today, brought to you by the ghastly decisions of yesterday.)
Don’t let that tomorrow happen to you, to your organization.
by Tags: perspective, voice
November 13th, 2008 at 11:21 am
I get that you should speak up. I also get that people don’t say what they mean and it can be very dangerous, but I don’t want to be the one who loses my job because the CEO wants to be right and likes being blind! I wish it were different. But, right now I think telling my company what I think they need to do could be a CLM!
November 13th, 2008 at 11:53 am
So how do you know what your real voice is? My “real” voice can change daily. I can go back and forth, back and forth over a decision. Something may feel right but logically it doesn’t seem right. A decision that feels right could be; for example; because of hormones but might not be the correct decision in the long run, it just feels right now. Or a decision might be made because of boredom. It still might not be the best decision in the long run but it feels right at the current moment. How long do you think about something before you go for it?
November 13th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
I agree with the comment posted by “WorkerB”. The suggestions in the original blog entry are most likely CLMs. I like Fierce and utilize some of the models. It works for me because I use it when managing my staff. Unfortunately, those above me do not subscribe to Fierce ideals, so I can only Fiercely address issues within my department safely and not the issues that plague our organization as a whole.
November 13th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
Love the comments! WorkerB and Teryl72 - I want to ask, are you asking “If I were hired to consult with my organization, what would I advise?” of the people who work for you or with you? If you aren’t, that is a great place to start. Find out how to make your team better.
I have had moments in my career where I wanted to burst into the CEO’s office and tell him how crazy his most recent plan is…and I stop myself. I ask, would that be enriching the relationship? Probably not the “bursting” or the “telling him how crazy his plan is”, but I have challenged myself to show up, to be present, to ask questions about potential pitfalls and to not sit in silence. The idea is not to get fired, but to find out how to say what needs and wants to be said. When I made that shift for myself, I started to get seen as a contributor - not as corporate wallpaper.
November 13th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
Dave - Sounds to me like you are talking in your real voice right now. Real voices can be confused, conflicted, bored, hormonal and of course brilliant.
November 15th, 2008 at 11:05 pm
Good article!