Hey all, Ali again! I’m jumping in to share a story I found very powerful, especially as a younger leader. Take a read – it’s a great reminder no matter where you’re at in your leadership journey.
Here’s the story: During a leadership team meeting that Sue was facilitating, one leader passed on giving input regarding a big company decision, stating that they didn’t have an opinion. What happened next blew my mind. The CEO calmly said, “I pay you to have an opinion. That’s why you’re here.”
What a powerful statement. How often do we defer to others because we feel it’s not our place? How often do we believe the other leaders ‘know best’ and that our input isn’t valuable? As a younger leader, I’ve had these feelings often. This story changed my thinking.
If my input wasn’t valuable, I wouldn’t be asked in the first place. If I didn’t know what I was talking about, I wouldn’t be at the table. Plus, the fact that I’m at the table means I need to have an opinion. I need to care enough to have thought through all options and be willing to put a stake in the ground. This takes heart and vulnerability, and that’s what being a leader means.
As we come up to our EOS® quarterly meeting next week, I’ll be taking this lesson with me. I’m ready to share my opinion. Are you?