YEAR OF ZEN: SUMMER: DAY 66

The Death of Socrates - Jaques-Louis David

Q: Write about a time at work when you needed to say something in a forthright way.

A: Over the course of my career, I have learned the truth that hard conversations are rarely fun but usually necessary. This has put me in a position of needing to find my voice and speak my truth. It is actually something I am in need of doing in getting across some hard truths in places where I see our institution struggling. Sometimes being forthright does include awareness of timing and looking for optimal moments for words and insights to land with the receiver. Putting things off for a “perfect” moment is also a risky proposition.