What I don’t know
There’s so much I don’t know. Some of what I don’t know doesn’t matter in my world – the length of a furlong, for example. Or perhaps the formula for something scientific I’ll probably never experience. There are, however, some things I don’t know that do matter. I ran into one of those things this week.
As I met with a speaker looking to up her speaking presence nationally, she said something that gave me one of those ton-of-bricks-to-the-chest moments. I gasped and I sat in absolute shock for a moment. It was something I didn’t know, and it was something that shaped her entire world.
As we talked, this woman shared she wanted to grow her speaking business so that she was well-known because that would give her the ability to change and influence people’s lives. What she didn’t want is to grow her business to the point that she got hate mail.
What?! It had never occurred to me that there were speakers who received hate mail because of their topics.
My World Exploded
My innocuous, little world exploded the minute she said that. She didn’t want to grow her business to the point that she got hate mail. Think about that for a minute. Have you ever had to worry about getting hate mail because something you might say was unpopular or different than what others may say?
For me, I’ve been cautious about what I’ve said, especially when it has come to the Mad Men to #MeToo topic I speak on, but I’ve never once thought I may get hate mail because of what I’ve said.
What Can We Do?
Why am I even writing about this? I’m writing about this because I see the world through my eyes. There are many people’s viewpoints that are vastly different than mine – and for most of us, that’s true. There’s so much we don’t know about others’ experiences. What we don’t know is hurting not only them, but ultimately us.
While I understand this is a deep, complicated topic, with ties to fundamental American freedoms, it’s also a deep topic related to something we all are – human.
I can’t change other people’s actions. However, I can live in a way that exemplifies my own principles and beliefs that character, integrity, and kindness, can change the world around me. By living those principles and beliefs, slowly and steadily we can change the reality of others around us who experience a world we know nothing of.
What we don’t know can hurt us. What I didn’t know about my friend’s experience was something I really didn’t want to know, but I needed to know.
Our Challenge
Today I take what I’ve learned and I share it with you. I share it with you, so together we can learn and we can live lives centered on changing other peoples’ worlds.
What don’t you know this week? How can you take what you don’t know and make tomorrow better for you and those around you?
About Sarah
Vistage chair, keynote speaker, trainer, and consultant, Sarah Gibson, helps organizations leverage the power of communication, teamwork, and diversity to improve engagement and transform teams.
If you are a CEO or know a CEO who would benefit from a peer advisory group, please contact Sarah at Sarah.Gibson@Vistage.com. To inquire about her speaking programs, please visit www.sarahjgibson.com.
