THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Fear

"Those who fear life are already three parts dead." - Bertrand Russell

TOPIC OF THE DAY

Turning the Tables on a Fear-Mongering Attack

Fear is a very powerful emotion. And fear-mongering is one of the most effective attack strategies for killing good ideas. Fear-mongerers raise anxiety and make a thoughtful examination of a proposal difficult, if not impossible. One very common fear-based counter-argument to a new idea is the claim: "You and your proposal are abandoning our core values!"

Now, let's assume for argument's sake that your proposal does not compromise your company's values. Nevertheless, any hint that your idea jeopardizes something as sacred as the company's values can be a show-stopping invocation. Suddenly, you are made to appear to the group as if you are arguing against the tradition, spirit, and foundation of your company! You ask yourself, "How did this happen?" and more importantly, "How can I fix it?" The answer is relatively simple: immediately reframe the discussion by calmly describing how your proposal actually upholds the company's values.

Read on...

LATEST ARRIVALS

Corporate Governance: A Synthesis of Theory, Research, and Practice by H. Kent Baker (Editor), Ronald Anderson (Editor)