Backbone: How One Can Make a Difference (Part 3)

The first two posts on this topic were written from two different perspectives. In this post, we turn to yet a different perspective on the usefulness of backbone in an organization.

Sometimes you are part of an organization--work or otherwise--in which others can't seem to get outside the box. You can see a solution, a clear path to problem-solving, and the leadership or your peers can't see one you think will work, or work as well. You have an idea.

Some people, amazingly, don't speak up in such a situation. I'm really not sure why, being the sort of person who shares my opinions whenever asked, and sometimes even when I'm not asked. Whatever the situation or your past experience, I would encourage you to speak up. State your idea clearly, with the path for moving ahead. You might even volunteer what you are willing to do to be part of that solution or strategic action. And be sure you offer up your idea to someone with the power to make it happen.

Not quite the attitude with which you should present an idea.

The person to whom you speak now has three options, to keep it simple. They can take your idea and put it to work, or they can respond and tell you why it wouldn't work, or they can ignore your idea. If they put your idea to work, Great! You've helped to make the world a better place. Celebrate!

If they disagree with you and tell you why, you could give it up. You could. Sometimes they know of roadblocks you don't know of, or they've tried it before and it didn't work, or they know of a limit on the resources that you weren't aware of. They may or may not explain all of these, but you should keep in mind that if they have the power to put your idea to work, they might have a larger picture. Nevertheless, you can offer a solution to their reasons why your idea wouldn't work. Or you can also go back to the drawing board and come up with a new idea. Most leaders appreciate extra brains working on a solution.

And finally, they could ignore you. That doesn't feel good at all. They might be too busy, or snowed under and secretly overwhelmed. Or they might disagree with you but not take the time to tell you why. Or you may have shown yourself in the past to not be a supportive team player, or to be personally critical of them, so your voice is diminished in their world. If your idea is good, though, it should get a hearing. So take a detour and share it with someone else who can offer it up to the people who can make it happen. Have a backbone. Persist.

Another way in which it is useful to have a backbone in your organization is to help people to "think again." We're all in a rush in our lives, and we see the world through our own glasses. A leader or a small group of people making decisions for the larger group may be on the wrong track. Someone needs to kindly tell them to "Think again!" and explain why they need to do that. That might be you.

In my current work organization we have a notorious governance system. There are half a million groups and committees (only a slight exaggeration, you understand) that work on various aspects of recommendations and decision-making for the organization. We all believe that the system is onerous. And yet, I have never seen an organization that does a better job of making careful decisions and delineating wise processes as this frustrating set of groups. All along the way there is an opportunity for someone to ask questions and to say, "Think again."

Even if you work outside such a committee system, even if your organizational structure is a streamlined one of single people making decisions that are hard-and-fast, people in your system need to have the power and/or backbone to say to each other, "Think again. Why are you doing that? What if your unintended consequence is such-and-such? What if you did it this way instead? What is a better way to accomplish what you're trying to do? Can we do better in ensuring the long-term health of the organization and the well-being of the individuals who are a part of it?"  Be brave and ask questions for the good of yourself, others around you, and the group as a whole.

It should go without saying, but I'll say it anyway: asking these questions in a helpful way with expressions of goodwill rather than with accusation, bitterness or put-downs makes it more likely that the message will be heard and make a difference for good.

Backbone. Every person who puts it to work can make the world a better place for us all.