“Why, why, why can’t I seem to hold my head up high?
It must be the devil in my ear
I’m not good enough, so what’s the use?
Self-medicate and self-abuse
It must be the devil in my ear
I try to push ’em all away
But those thoughts they stick around
Thrivin’ on my pain and they keep bringin’ me down
I pray to God for peace of mind, for the gloom to disappear
I can’t find a cause to live with the devil in my ear“
- Lyric from Devil In My Ear by The Red Clay Strays
Post-COVID, mid-RTO, our folks are thinking “what did I do to deserve this?” or “What are THEY doing?” A quick check of the Wall Street Journal this AM showed at least 140,000 jobs being eliminated – that was just from headlines.
Someone is in your teams ear. And if it ain’t you, it could be…
A supplier who’s worried about losing his business…
A disgruntled employee who’s lashing out at work because his 6-year-old son is sick at home…
A customer, responding to rumors from your top competitor telling him “They’re losing it over there…”
Someone is in their ear. Is it you?
If it ain’t you, what the hell are you thinking?!
Boeings #1 bolt factory burned down. It was a big fire. On top of the big fire that is Boeing these days. Their CEO has a choice, just as every manager in your company does: He / they / she gets to decide who is “in their ear.” It can be the reassuring voice of a trusted leader — telling the kind truth — or it can be some misaligned, misincented, miscreant with miss-matched motivation.
Be in their ear. In the heart. In their circle of trust. When bidness is good, and when it’s in the “Water Closet” shall we say.
A Difference Maker’s role is to provide hope, vision, direction, support and guidance.
Don’t cede that space to the devil. Or a competitor.
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