Silence Is Not Golden

I can no longer hold back from making observations that could have many of you casting me aside. But this is far too important.

The majority of my friends on LinkedIn are professional speakers, master facilitators, teachers, coaches, and authors.  We are wordsmiths. We talk and write about leadership excellence, creating teams, diversity & inclusion, clear communication, and how to create a world that works for all.  Many of you make your living trying to teach workplaces and schools about the danger of bullying.

And yet, we—(ok –make that me) —our silence about calling out the very behavior that would have our clients and audiences tearing up contracts and sending us packing. 

If we stood before audiences and made up “facts” only to shrug when we’re called out on false information…

If we painted every race, creed, and color as people who should be excluded, denigrated, and locked out ...

If we said that compromise is a dirty word and refused to foster meaningful conversation, instead relying on name-calling, finger-wagging, and mocking…

That big IF would have us out of work. And yet we tolerate such behavior to find someone who we will put on the national payroll!!

We have become a nation of voyeurs who stand by and let political candidates play us for fools. Why are we not demanding civil debates?  Real platforms?  How can we stand before our audiences and preach leadership development, diversity, communication, success strategies, and more, yet remain silent while candidates for the highest office in our country make a mockery of democratic ideals and values?

Is this a political statement? No. It is a human request that we stop pandering to all this bombastic wordplay and instead put a fist up for actual conversation, dialogue, and plans with possibilities.

There. I can now breathe.