Although I don’t often comment on news items, I feel compelled to write this. I’ve been seeing and reading a lot about the outpouring of support for the firing of Canada’s CTV’s News Anchor Lisa LaFlamme. What has caught my attention is the focus seems to be mostly on her hair colour. I noticed very few commentaries on the behaviour of the executive(s) who’s actions and decisions prompted the firing. This prompted my curiosity. Are we willing to redirect the focus of our attention to that of the behaviours, actions and choices of the individuals who work, and make the decisions, within an organization?
The question rising to the surface is, “Where do we choose to focus our attention?” The media attention and support is not good/bad/right/wrong. It just seems we are once again, choosing to focus on a physical attribute. This is an incredible opportunity to shift our focus and consider Lisa is a strong, professional woman with a determined will and mind. To reflect, perhaps part of the reason she may have been let go was in fact because she chose to stand firm in what she believed.
Willing to go deeper…
Let me be clear, I am not questioning the support. I’m questioning where we, as a society, are choosing to focus our attention. If you are a leader within your organization, have you considered this as an invitation to go within yourself, and invite others within your organization to become curious about what beliefs, values and attitudes you have towards the individuals working with and for you?
Are you willing to engage in a different conversations with yourself, around the beliefs you hold of individuals who may have a different opinions, and hold different perspectives based on cultural backgrounds, gender identifications, language, religion etc…? There is an invitation to invite, and explore, with curiosity, the underlying structures that drive our behaviours, choices and actions.
This is not the first time someone is fired because of their looks, age, identification, culture, religion etc… and it most definitely will not be the last. This is, however, a perfect opportunity to invite curiosity, and consider focusing our attention inwardly, to the uncomfortableness that may be emerging in our internal state. Consider, are you willing to notice where you take yourself in this conversation?
Which state rises to the surface?
- Have you disconnected from yourself? Meaning you are just watching the show unaware of any impact on you.
- Have you moved into a cerebral state? This is where your intellect is busy coming up with all kinds of stories around this.
- Are you aware any uncomfortableness, and/or feelings of unease, and not sure what to do about it?
- Are you willing to ‘feel’ your way through this, and discover what sits under the surface.
Some of these questions might feel overwhelming and you might feel it’s easier to not engage them. On the flip side, there is a fantastic opportunity to learn more about ourself and others.
I believe, if we choose to take a breath, and leap into the unknown we will be rewarded with growth in areas we didn’t even know existed. This is an invitation to grow personally, professionally, organizationally and as a society.
This is a beautiful invitation to engage in conversations both internally, with ourselves, and externally, with others, about what we choose to focus on individually and collectively.
Are you willing to redirect where you focus your attention, and change the conversation?
Until the next time!
Lisa
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Connect with me to explore how I can help you create the space to engage in a process which invites open, honest, clear and direct conversations. Conversations which invite curiosity and results in creative and innovative solutions to shift us into a new state of being individually and collectively.
