I love Simon Sinek’s contention that someone needs to tell the powers that be, what everyone else in the room is thinking. I have been in many corporate meetings where everyone looks at the CEO at the head of the table and shake their heads in agreement, without saying a word. They act like bobble-heads stuck in one position, as they keep their eyes on their sandwich and doodle because they are afraid to speak. In this case, no one wins.
I unfortunately, have reached that stage in my life and career where I have a tendency to speak my mind — some would say too often. As my friend, Judi, often tells me, “you have an uncanny ability to say anything to anyone, at any time, and get away with it”. Most of the time I speak for my faculty, and rarely want anything for myself.
If nothing else, as a senior Professor, I have earned the right to be heard. That way, I don’t have to deal with the stress of carrying the unspoken word. Better to take that stress, and put it on the plate of the leadership. Only time will tell, if this approach is a blessing, or If I am about to fall on my face in the near future. So far my record has been pretty good!
About Hemant Rustogi