Do I say it, do I keep it to myself, do I say it, do I keep it to myself?
Where is the balance between sharing what you believe to be true and holding back for fear of offending someone else?
Author Michael Brown claims that waking others up just because we can see they are asleep is foolish, an act of interference and arrogance. Ouch! He says sleep is not a mistake; it has a purpose. “A seed sleeps until it sprouts. It sprouts not only because it is ready for life but because life all around it is also ready to intimately support its awakening.”
He shares that as ‘teachers’ impart their lessons when we are ready, they also step away so that we can make our own choices. And I would argue that the same goes for leaders. We want to fully empower our teams to do their work, and then let them do it!
It is easy to decide what to share when it is something positive. It’s a little more complicated to deliver constructive criticism. There are three initial questions we might want to keep in mind: Should this be said at all? Should it be said now? And should it be said by me?
What is ours to share, ours to say, or ours to silently hold and keep? Where do you draw that line or hold that balance? Something to think about.
We’re all juggling…
