HarvardBusiness.org: Summoning the Courage to Tear Down Walls

I guest posted over at HarvardBusiness.org today.  

Before you read the post, I'd encourage you to watch this clip from President Reagan's "Tear Down the Wall" speech.

Do you remember Reagan giving this speech?

When was the last time you delivered tough talk to someone?  Or someone to you?  What was your motivation?  What happened?

What walls do you need to tear down in order to achieve your dream?

P.S.   Eva Koleva Timothy's story, in part, prompted this post; Stacey Petrey pressed me to further explore the implications of the 'tear down'; Elizabeth Harmer-Dionne forwarded me the WSJ piece on Reagan; had Stacey and Liz Economy not 'dared' me to submit my posts to HarvardBusiness.org, I wouldn't have.  A dream team indeed. 

 

Comments

[Maria]

Thanks Whitney, for inspiring me yet again.

[Janna]

I recently gave a tough talk to a friend who has been languishing in "limbo-land" for over a year. Typically, my approach to friends struggling with decisions about their life's direction is to just listen, empathize, and even encourage them to go with the flow - that the "answer" will surface.

I took the opposite approach in this case - it was a smackdown, as in, "Something must change, if you want to change." Turns out it was exactly what was needed.

Even though it was undoubtedly difficult for my friend to hear that tough talk, I believe that when we deliver that tough talk without ego and full of love, it turns out all right.

[Margaret Busse]

Excellent article, Whitney. I love the bit about how sometimes the only safe harbor we have is our convictions--all the more reason to have them, and be confident in them.

[Emily O]

Those pesky walls keep creeping up. The DTD message is always a reminder to tear them down and live in my convictions. That's why I keep coming back. I need to hear that over and over again.