๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ ๐ก๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐๐๐จ๐ฑ?
It says:
We often endure things that are โnot-so-bad,โ but this stops us from flourishing into truly good situations. The paradox is that when situations are sort-of bad, weโd actually be better off if they were worse
๐๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ญ๐ญ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ ๐ ๐๐ญ ๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐ช๐ฎ๐จ, ๐ฐ๐ก๐ข๐๐ก ๐๐ฏ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ซ๐๐๐ฎ๐๐๐ฌ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ข๐ซ๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ข๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ.
And nobody says anything. And nothing changes. And we keep soldiering on.
I was on a call last week and this happened:
VP presents problem to CEO
CEO asks, with incredulity, why nothing was done about it
VP hems and haws, says itโs not really his focus, and it wasnโt really that bad
CEO reconfirms that the VP KNEW it was happening
VP admits that yes, he did
CEO is frustrated
VP lost face and realized he should accept ownership and tackle the problem
Yikes
The Homeland Security campaign comes to mind. โIf you see something, say something.โ
But Iโd like to change that to โIf you see something, START something.โ
A conversation. A project. A meeting. An initiative. An inquiry. Some research.
Youโre probably thinking: But Edโฆ.
Itโs hard to speak up, what if I risk my job!
I donโt know who to tell!
What if the person I tellโฆ.tells me to fix it?
I donโt want to get involved, itโs too messy.
Itโs not my responsibility.
With so many remote employees now, anonymity has been both intensified (no face, but plenty of trace details) and eliminated (thereโs no way to send an anonymous email). Whatโs a person to do?
The message for EMPLOYEESโฆ
Consider different forms of communication.
Talk to a trusted colleague and discuss the risks.
Write a structured, well-written email with your thoughts, fears, solutions, and suggestions.
List the ways this impacts the business and find someone who cares about that.
Ultimately, if this issue is even somewhat related to what youโre doing at work, then youโll be impacted. Itโs just a matter of where and when.
The message for EMPLOYERSโฆ
Do your employees feel safe speaking up?
Do you have an anonymous employee feedback survey?
Does feedback submitted visibly and promptly lead to action or change?
Do you have a consistent container where troubles are brought to the table?
What is your typical reaction when problems are brought to your attention?
Do you have a feedback structure in quarterly reviews?
Have you ever spoken up and were sorry you did?
Ever spoken up and were happy you did?
What happened?
If this resonates, letโs talk.