risk

Are You So Bold…

• that you would openly have a conversation about a project’s faults?
• that you would ask a question of anyone – everyone – and thus show your ignorance and that (heaven forbid) you don’t know all the answers (even when you maybe ought to)?
• to bring up a point that others are scared to bring up for fear of retribution?
• to point out a mistake another has made (with tact and in private), even if that person has more seniority than you?
• that you would alert others of a roadblock, even if it might mean political backlash?
• that you would bring up what needs to be said, not only what others want to hear?

Trust, openness and transparency are bedrock ideals of Social Business – yet too many company cultures fears them.  For businesses to go into the next phase of  economics and be successful this MUST change.

So many people won’t do the right thing because of fear of a personal backlash rather than the fear of a project’s failure.  When America’s CIO, Vivek Kundra, spoke about the billions of dollars wasted, over and over again, on failed IT projects, I was astounded.  We all know that has to do, in large part, with deformed cultures.

Success will not be built on whether or not we have some obsure piece of documentation filed, but rather if we, as people (not a process), create a new culture.  That’s right – you and I and your office neighbor.

We cannot expect to progress without change.

What we need are those who will be bold.  Those who are willing to take a risk.

Will there be times when you get slapped down?  You bet. Times when you will be given unfair consequences?  Without a doubt. Times when you say what everyone else wanted to say, yet no one will back you up? Count on it.

But if not you, who?

(An aside: Being bold is not the same as being overbearing or toxic.  I fully support the former and frown upon the latter.)