Words from WickedZ

Where did the good fight go?  You know the one where we all get in a conference room and hash out the details to solve a problem?  Of course the fight I’m talking about is not a physical one, but a heated discussion with passion and caring spirit for the cause at hand.  I’m talking about the crucial conversations that occur in the work place when “work” is getting done.  These crucial conversations and problem solving are key to establishing trust and confidence in one another; especially when working cross-organizationally.  The culture of a company defines the level of politics.  While we may agree that each person has an ideal culture that suites them best, politics are heavily weighted in the outcome of these conversations.  A politically charged culture can make for a less than desirable result with no forward momentum.  Usually these “safe” and “political” meetings result in scheduling another meeting…  Death by meeting!  Let’s get back in the ring and make a difference without taking it personal.  Are you are in a politically charged culture that doesn’t work with your strenghths? My advice is to write the “cause” for the meeting on the white board.  This will remove some of the emotion and personal attachment to the subject.  Constantly weigh the conversation against the “cause” to keep things on track.  I challenge you to let your political guard down a bit if you are comfortable.   Try it enough with the right approach and you may find your colleagues letting their guard down too.  Change starts with one person…

I recently edited this post as one of my esteemed mentors made a great point in an email to me.  I had attributed the ”good fight” with the large companies.  When in fact, ”It’s not the size of the company, it’s the culture.”  Thank you Harriet!