There is a saying, “Don’t throw away the baby with the bath water“

 Then there is another that goes, “Before you open your mouth to speak, engage your other faculties”

 I am sure we have all come across at least one of these sayings! I thought I could use the above sayings to share my thoughts on some common occurrences in organizations and what I have experienced in trying to navigate them.

 Due to the nature of organizations, particularly the large ones, there is diversity in terms of professions and personalities which makes it all the more important for actors to be conscious and cautious as they relate with each other to achieve the objectives of the organization.

 There is a legitimate expectation that actors conduct themselves with passion, energy, persuasion and confidence in acquitting themselves, inspiring thought process and so on as they discharge their duties towards the organization. This is generally a good thing. However, when behaviour is punctuated by motives other than the best interest of the organization, there is a risk that the desired outcome may not be met and what will be created is an environment tainted with negativity and retrogressive attitudes.

 As we endeavour to keep our houses clean, we must make sure that what we are discarding is actually debris and not items that we still have use for. In the same vein, actors must take time to refine their contributions and inquiries so as to avoid being understood as empty vessels, overzealous or with motive to embarrass others.

 When one is in a position of influence such as leaders in organizations, there is an inherent responsibility to use the privilege of leadership to inspire growth and success. In my view, a leader must demonstrate from the top, the need for acumen, respect and diligence among other traits so that excesses are dealt with in the most preemptive manner possible.

 Engaging one’s faculties before communication of ideas and views requires a measure of mastery. I say this because there are human characteristics such as varying levels of patience with oneself and others, emotions in reacting or responding to issues, ambition and so on. These characteristics must be “tamed” by individuals and teams so that they can be used to create a positive impact.

 There is a plethora of resources for us to tap from as we shape our behaviour in organizations and life in general and my advice is that we must have a hunger to consume what is good in them so that we can assure decency and overall tranquility in our endeavors.

 Let’s share!