Daring to Speak Up

Last week I taught a leadership course on how leaders tackling adaptive change often face personal attack and marginalisation. After his remarks on the devastating Australian wildfires the Spectator has called Sir David Attenborough an alarmist and a "Greta Thunberg of the Third Age". No wonder it can be hard to speak up and while many of us like to think we'll always do so on issues we care about, research shows we often don't and then rationalise our inaction later.

These ideas from the #neuroleadershipinstitute help:

1. When we set out to do difficult but meaningful things, we do better when we're realistically optimistic. Acknowledging we want to do something and it takes real effort, increases likelihood of success. It's a practice underpinning  an explorer’s mindset.

2. In group interactions we scan subconsciously for threats and rewards. "Speaking up" is often perceived as a threat to listener status, so maintaining focus on the issue itself protects the group cohesion necessary to be heard.

3. An If/Then Plan reduces uncertainty, meaning we're more likely to act. Reflect on potential occasions to speak up for important values and think "If I see or hear this/ Then I will do that".

This world needs more voices.