Different Opinion? You Are Cancelled

Why is nobody talking about the cancel culture at work and even on LinkedIn?

Yes, the behaviour when you become an outcast when you disagree or have a different opinion. When you are not invited to a conference because your point of view is different to the organiser's. When you are labelled as difficult because you look at things differently. When your job is on the line when your opinion doesn't match your manager's. Or when at the next round of redundancies you are up first because your different way of thinking makes you "culturally unfit".

I cannot stand people who cannot peacefully disagree. If you cannot bear to hear or be with people whose points of view are different than yours and you need to remove yourself or them, it says more about your character than your opinion about the matter.

Here are some questions that may help to reevaluate our reactions to others when the points of view are not the same.

• Should you only follow, be or work with people whom you agree with?

• Is it a prerequisite to agree with someone to hear what they have to say?

• If you disagree with someone, does that mean that you are right and the other person is wrong?

• Are you always right? Are you the source of truth and the arbiter of what is right and what is wrong?

• Should you personally attack people when they disagree to prove that they are wrong?

If you answered "Yes" to any of these questions check yourself. You are at serious risk.

When you cancel people whom you disagree with what you are saying is that I am always right and I am only willing to listen to hear views from people who think the same way as me. What does it say about you?

But most importantly, how much does it cost the company when things go unchallenged?

We want people to speak up but when they do we cancel them.

We want people to think outside the box but we put them in frameworks.

We want people to be creative but we tell them how to think.

The cancel culture is real and it costs billions yet, nobody is talking about it.

When people like to go unchallenged two quotes come to mind:

"How arrogant are you to think that you can go through life without being challenged?" Ricky Gervais

And this saying (source unknown)

"Truth does not mind being questioned. A lie does not like being challenged."

PS: Neil de Grass Tyson, one of the most intelligent people on this planet only has books on his shelves that cover topics he disagrees with. This is what smart people do. Wink wink.....:-)

If you are ready to be challenged and redesign your people management practices let us know.