Silence is agreement.
That is certainly true in the workplace where failure to speak up often means, “I agree with what has been said,” even when you don’t.
What often happens next is people leave the meeting and start to complain to one another, forming an insulated great club and depriving leadership of what they really think.
You don’t have to be obnoxious when you disagree with an announcement or policy. You just have to ask the question. It could be framed something along the lines of, “help me understand . . . “ Or “I’m confused by what I just heard. Would you please explain it to me a little bit differently.”
It gives you the opportunity to hear this a different way and, after hearing it, respectfully voice a different viewpoint.
“Have you considered . . .? “
“What are we trying to accomplish in doing this?
“Did you consider . . . ?”
Too often, people act like sheep and then wonder why they never ascend to leadership. Like huskies running the Iditarod, the view is the same unless you’re the lead dog. To become the lead dog, you have to show leadership. Otherwise, even if you’re promoted into a role you have the same view but further up in the pack.
Ⓒ The Big Game Hunter, Inc., Asheville, NC 2020
ABOUT JEFF ALTMAN, THE BIG GAME HUNTER
Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter is a career and leadership coach who worked as a recruiter for more than 40 years. He is the host of “No BS Job Search Advice Radio,” the #1 podcast in iTunes for job search with more than 1700 episodes and his newest show, “No BS Coaching Advice” and is a member of The Forbes Coaches Council.
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