Preface to the Following Essay—by Bill Bevans
The following essay was written for the CoachWorks Farm Newsletter, December 2002. I was pleased to receive several positive comments from our readership. None was more satisfying than the feedback from my friend and mentor, Tony Petrella, who gave it one of the highest honors when he said, “It’s almost poetry.”
Thank you all for your feedback and support.
IN PRAISE OF CONFRONTING
An important part of my work as an organization development consultant, and a crucial part of our work at CoachWorks Farm is to stress the importance of continual learning and adaptation to change, both for individuals and organizations. “Change is just another word for learning. We can all do it if we want to.” I like that thought so much, I have included it in my brochure for my consulting practice for the last decade. It is a reminder that the more often we flex our learning muscles, the easier it is for us to handle change, and the healthier we are as a result.
Recent events, however, have shown that adapting to change can have a dark side. It is possible to overdo our ability to adapt. Any strength in excess becomes a weakness. When I consider the recent collapse of major organizations, Enron, Tyco, MCI, and others, I have to wonder, “How many people knew what was going on, but just adapted to this new way of doing business, just going along to get along?”
The first important question is, “How do we know?” How do we recognize when adapting to change goes too far? As citizens of our organization and of our world, where is our warning bell, our personal smoke alarm that alerts us that we are moving past adaptation and going toward the “collusion with bad stuff room?” Then there is the second and more important question “Where and how do we find the courage to cry out, “Stop, this is wrong!”
To the first question, I believe that in each of us is a quiet voice that speaks the truth always. Often that voice is uncomfortable to hear, so we drown out its little sound with slogans: “Enhance shareholder value.” “Fight the war on terrorism.” “It’s a dog eat dog world.” If we are not careful, we learn to ignore not only the little voice, but also the feeling that something is not just right. We get caught up in the belief that it is OK, because “everyone is doing it.” Moreover, our leaders are encouraging and rewarding us for ignoring our little voice of truth. The rewards may be financial, or can be access to that illusive thing called power.
As to the second question, there are consequences for questioning the direction, much less refusing to go along. We cannot take this reaction lightly. The consequences are often swift and painful. We must take time for quiet stocktaking, to refocus and reflect on our personal values and beliefs. It is our values and beliefs that is the source our little voice. They are our guides to help us decide what we should and should not adapt to. But standing up for our beliefs means confronting rather than adapting. It almost always makes us very unpopular.
Confronting is always serious, sometimes even dangerous. I am sure you know of situations where individuals, perhaps you, paid a high price for listening to the little voice within. When you found it necessary to take a stand against some new direction, you were probably castigated. You were “not a team player”. You might have been branded a troublemaker or an obstructionist. Your loyalty may have been questioned. This is truly a hard test of your beliefs, strengths, and character. It would have been easier, in the short run, to shout down that little voice with slogans. Where did you find that strength, that courage? I believe you always find that courage at your very core, deeper than your reason, at your spirit level. That is where your little voice resides with your values and beliefs.
This essay is a reminder for us all to pay attention to that quiet little voice that always speaks the truth. To ignore it is to deny who we are, corroding our core and our spirit. We are then in danger of becoming de-sensitized to our spirit center, and thus, dehumanized. When many people become so numbed, organizations, communities, even nations become less free and healthy. The ability to change and grow is a life-giving concept. But when that change runs counter to our fundamental core set of beliefs and values, we must find the strength and courage to confront and do what affirms rather than corrodes our spirit.
~ Bill Bevans
