This past month I’ve been working like mad to pull together reports and proposals for clients. I have a small team and we’re all buzzing. There’s building a business and then there’s doing the business. I love all of it. especially my purpose now – to support leaders in the arena –
People hire me for a variety of reasons sometimes getting more than they bargained for.
I am the original “there’s an elephant in the room” namer.
If there’s an elephant in the room I will (sometimes irritatingly) say “Elephant. Elephant. Elephant.” again and again until we get the elephant a seat at the work table or show him out. I can’t ignore dysfunctional elements (elephants). Discrepancies. Incongruencies. Inequities.
Problems talking about and dealing with issues of money, power, resources, decision authority, rewards, failures, measurement, performance, trust, commitment – hoping for the best or thinking these will work themselves out. Somehow. Yikes.
There are people that can have a small herd of elephants tripping over one another and just ignore them all.
I have a high need for clarity, focus and integrity. Congruency. I love to read fiction but I want to live reality. Grounded.
I’m of the strong opinion that what we do to avoid the tough stuff is always worse for us, for relationships, for the organization, than dealing head-on wirh the elephant.
The old Gnostic gospels say:
“That which we bring forth will save us. That which we do not bring forth will destroy us.” (Is destroying us.)
I work with leaders who have this “handle up”* energy. They may not like what’s coming at them or have all the answers but they’re not ducking and dodging, not paving over or pretending.
It’s pretty damn hard sometimes because the elephant can seem so big it might trample you – but if you ignore it it just eats more and gets bigger and bigger.
Bring forth those elephants today.
Love Angela
*Handle up – my son’s phrase which I’ve appropriated. Means taking care of your business. All of it. Spine straight. No whining.
© Angela Blanchard
