Talking out of both sides of your mouth

There is an English expression, talking out of both sides of your mouth. Which essentially means you hold “think” and say “act” on 2 opposites at the same time.

In dealing with most businesses, companies, HR, finance, procurement, purchase, even top-management in today’s world, as a whole the enterprise “talks out of both sides of its mouth”.

On the one side we talk about creativity, innovation, leadership, fresh ideas, owning the problem.

On the other side — of the same mouth — we ask new recruits and suppliers and any “new” person or firm? Have you done this before? Where else can I see this? I don’t want to be the guinea pig? I am a follower. I do not want be the fall guy. Not in my backyard attitude. I will NOT buy from this person or this firm, because I do not know them. Find any excuse “not” to buy.

In the first instance, on one side, the implication is risk, risk appetite rather than risk aversion, while on the other side it’s all about playing safe.

Now this is understandable in most ops and many industries in most day to day transactional situations. You do NOT want an innovative, changing each time Airline Pilot, reputed kitchen chef, TV news-reader or Operation Theatre Doctor. Most bus drivers, Quality Inspectors or ticket collectors just do their jobs. (They can be replaced by machines and are being replaced by automation — but that’s a different conversation.)

On the other side how can “innovation” and “have-you-done-this-before” co-exist? Most enterprises manage this glibly. I would place these in the Drucker category of firms that will be all out of business in the coming decade.

You can’t physically talk out of both sides of your mouth — enterprises with a vision, and CEO’s, MD’s, Leaders should not allow their enterprises to pay lip-service to one side or the other.

Be honest, transparent and singular in your message and communications — you are either a leader OR a follower. You support innovation OR process. You are left OR right. You are wrong OR right. You are low-cost or premium. You are mass-market or niche.

Do not talk out of both sides of your mouth as an Individual nor as an Enterprise.