Disobedient Talk

Some of the best conversations we have had with influential stakeholders involved suggested actions that were ultimately rejected. In most cases, these were proposed acts of “intelligent disobedience.” Why were they still great conversations? Because they helped us as individuals stand out. As an employee,…

This story came from a friend and colleague in Brisbane, Australia. I’d love to hear from someone in the rail industry to substantiate this story – it is a good anecdote for thinking twice about following ”the rules.” Good news: It was a normal day…

Sometimes the most powerful way to engage in Intelligent Disobedience is to say no, especially when a task “opportunity” enters your office. You are busy, juggling priorities and multiple initiatives, and you have an ambitious manager. At the same time we want to approach our…

Recently, a colleague of mine turned around a situation with her manager by posing a VERY powerful question. She had been struggling with an ever expanding workload due to a senior manager with ambitions that outreached his ability to prioritize. What was this impactful question…

We received this story from an attendee at a recent keynote presentation which demonstrates that a simple and common image can show decisions in a different light. Here’s the story: In an Executive Program Review today, I used clipart of a person walking around with…

Truth from our own point of view – truth only each of us as individuals can bring – is the essence of intelligent disobedience. Packaging it, selling it, promoting it and bringing your truth to the “pool of information” that is used to make important…

Recently in a legal document I encountered a section titled “Reasonableness”. It read as follows: “Wherever a written consent from a Unit Holder is required it shall not be unreasonably withheld.” That struck me as wholly subjective and therefore rather unusual in a legal document….

Leadership requires an extraordinary degree of skill and integrity – the ability to know when to intervene, when to teach, when to coach, when to provide feedback and in what venue to provide all of this. Leadership requires very deliberate and thoughtful consideration of those…

Sometimes a sound can trigger the needed reaction! After delivering a conference keynote on intelligent disobedience a delegate approached me to share this story… As a business analyst at a major hospital, he was frustrated by project sponsorship that wasn’t stepping to the plate to…

Welcome to the Intelligent Disobedience blog – designed to help leaders excel by discussing how and when to push back, bend rules (with communication and integrity!) and save our businesses from themselves! “Intelligent Disobedience” is understanding how and when to “say no” to leaders and…