Organizational Silence: Begins and Ends With Your Conscience

Organizational Silence Begins and Ends With Your Conscience

You are staring into the abyss of the unknown. You are leading your people, your company forward but you know you do not know anymore. Organizational silence is not new, you have been part of it whether you want to admit it or not. It is as simple as drowning the voice of your own conscience because of the myriad of excuses that seem to make securing your position easier, your income certain, your outcomes achieved. That is what use to work.

If you want it to be different, then you can’t do what you always have done, or you will keep getting more of the same.

Same is not 2020. Diversity, inclusion, compassion, empathy, awareness, listening is leading with both your head and heart, because humanity needs you to, the earth needs you to and you are ready.

Unwilling to Hear

It is no wonder you do not hear the voices of the unheard. The voices screaming today have been for hundreds of years. Now, however you can look into your own experience and recognize the silence you have maintained to the soft quiet voice inside of you. The part of you that speaks so quietly that you ignore it. Your conscience telling you when something is best to do or not. Like the time you went to do something and the small quiet voice inside said, “don’t do that,” it was quick and quiet while the others around you were telling you otherwise. You took the action and regretted it, because you knew, your conscience was telling you your truth and you remained silent. This is the same way you can ignore others voices, the inconvenient ones, the painful, difficult and uncomfortable ones.

Unable to Hear

The quiet voice of your conscience is easily drowned out and as you continue to ignore it it’s harder and harder to reach, to actually hear it anymore. You become unable to know your truth, who you are, how you got here, and where you are going. You are unable to hear because you stopped listening.

I never thought this was me, I am so aware and purposeful and know my values and intentions. Well, even I was wrong. I was side swiped with not listening. I do not know when it happened but here it was. A tough pill to swallow when being knocked down meant having to answer the tough questions - Who am I now? What do I want now? Where am I going? What is best for me, my people and organization, the community, the earth? It’s not all doom and gloom really, it’s just now the deeper and meaningful questions need to be asked of ourselves. The good news is that not listening became a habit. Habits can be rewired.

Conscience Awakened

It is time to listen. If you want to lead differently than the real skills, you are looking for are no further then inside of you. These are your #realhumanskills and they are essential to master. Listening is more than hearing; at its more advanced levels it is being able to discern what is not being spoken. You can start within yourself, because if you have the compassion to listen to your own inner voices with the care of a friend, then you will be able to hear the others screaming for centuries and choose to do something about it today. You can lead and lead effectively as long as you lead yourself first.

 Dr. Bena Long began as an Collegiate NCAA Division One Gymnast which ended in injury. She pivoted into monk-like dedication to the practice and study of the science and art of meditation, yoga, chi gung and tai chi with masters of peak performance. Teaching thousands of individuals looking to de-stress, build resilience, and experience spiritual awakening. This led to individual coaching and group lessons that soon evolved into spiritual retreats, MBA and graduate level university courses, speaking and business workshops. 

 Dr. Bena coaches, speaks and consults individuals at some of the most successful companies, non-profits and universities on the planet, including Google, Amazon, Merrill Lynch, Bank of America, Black Rock, Johnson and Johnson, Merck, and Wharton Executive Education/INSEAD.

She enjoys helping clients and organizations' developing leadership, building resilience, cultural agility, inclusion and skills to thrive in change. She conducts research and writes science-based articles on long-term mindfulness, meditation, and yoga in leadership and at work. 

She balances an active life with the quiet practice of silence, dedicated to the study of the mind and being within.

Contact: Bena Long Associates, www.drbena.com

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