Buckets of Courage

A friend who is a high-level executive, intimidating to many, recently promoted a courageous employee who walked into his office with a large bucket of sand and poured it on the rug.

“What … are you doing?” demanded my friend.

The employee replied, “I just figured I’d make it easier for you to bury your head in the sand on the topic I keep bringing up and you keep avoiding.”

You can be assured this employee would not have taken such a bold and risky step if he were not convinced that the company was about to embark on a road to ruin.

After a sleepless night, he had determined that he owed it to himself, his colleagues, his customers, and his leader to either make himself heard or leave the organization.

He told his boss, “Everyone’s in-basket and out-basket are full, but I’m concerned we’re avoiding the too hard basket.”

The conversation following this outrageous act interrogated reality, provoked learning, tackled a tough challenge, and enriched the relationship. It is no small thing that, as a result, the company made the change needed to avoid a potential disaster.

Source: Fierce Conversations: Achieving Success at Work and in Life One Conversation at a Time by Susan Scott