There's something I've been noticing in some peers and definitely in myself: the idea that we should wait until we have influence/authority to say hard things.
But I'm increasingly convinced that many of us who think this is "wisdom" will end up with influence but no courage.
But I'm increasingly convinced that many of us who think this is "wisdom" will end up with influence but no courage.
My friend @SHoddeMiller says in her book NICE that courage is a muscle you have to use in order to strengthen it. It takes practice. You don't become the leader who can act or speak courageously if you aren't practicing it before you have the position.
@SHoddeMiller There is certainly wisdom in building trust before you say something hard. But I fear that some of us are just afraid. We know what we should say or do and we keep telling ourselves that next time we'll have enough relationship or trust to do it. But we won't.
@SHoddeMiller If you don't call out injustice, if you shy away from saying what the Bible says, if you smile & nod instead of speaking up--you may end up in a place of influence but you'll need to keep smiling and nodding to keep it. And by then, that's all you'll want: to keep your power.
Oh and just to clarify: Twitter doesn’t really count. I know I’m guilty of talking a big game here, where I know most of the people at my church aren’t looking, but chickening out in a meeting or in front of a classroom. We need to do it when it could cost us. I’m trying to.
