Last week we discussed how speaking from the heart is so needed to carefully draw others into our underlying motivation. While this is important in intervening skillfully, for this to truly energize others, our heartspeaking must sometimes include hardspeaking, specifically, speaking to loss.
Again, the latest Journal of the Kansas Leadership Center proved helpful, when they say on p.106:
“‘We must do something’ always solves more problems than ‘something must be done.’ In building a trustworthy process, we have to be transparent about what motivates us, but we also need to be transparent about what we may be asking others to sacrifice for the cause of progress. Speaking to Loss is a part of that process. Always remember to acknowledge the possible losses of members of the factions – the people on the other side of an issue.”
“‘We must do something’ always solves more problems than ‘something must be done.’ In building a trustworthy process, we have to be transparent about what motivates us, but we also need to be transparent about what we may be asking others to sacrifice for the cause of progress. Speaking to Loss is a part of that process. Always remember to acknowledge the possible losses of members of the factions – the people on the other side of an issue.”
Isn’t it usually the case that we are so motivated around our purpose that we are blind to how this may affect others? Speaking to loss helps us rope in the strays, it helps us bring others to the table, it considers how our purpose and direction affects others and helps us energize them by being honest about what this might mean for us to make progress on those issues we care about so deeply. Speak from the heart, yes. But sometimes, we need to say the hard thing to build passport and create a process that those on the other side can appreciate. As we do this, we will undoubtedly be more effective. Leadership is risky.
Hopefully giving you encouragement in your risky acts of leadership…
