Whatever happened to the ole’ expression “agree to disagree”?

After reading Jane Frankland's (Founder of The Source Platform for Women in Cyber) recent newsletter, I wanted to share a few thoughts. In Edition 7 of The Source for Women in Cyber Newsletter entitled "Responding to Criticism & the Cost of Call-Out Culture in Cyber" Jane invites the cyber community and other business leaders into a conversation around the topic of #calloutculture.????

In her article and newsletter she encourages "dialogue" along with this this simple framework referred to as "guardrails".

Here’s a short excerpt; “in the spirit of no blame, no shame, just better business, because that’s what we say at The Source, let’s tear down the system that’s not working for ALL people rather than each other. Doing the latter is what trips us up and holds us back.”

First off, "Thank you Jane". I am encouraged to see discussion brought to the forefront around what has become a steadfast and oft fiery debate.

I for one, am a firm believer that we need to talk more to one another – with grace and respect.?That said, nothing should be off limits or deemed taboo.

We all have our own views, perspectives, things we value and leanings one way or another - developed over time and therefore “subject to change”.?A lot plays into this; family history, culture, upbringing, intrinsic or taught ethics/morals/values/beliefs, experiences, external influences, our livelihood to provide for our family, learnings, family dynamics (i.e. divorce, children, marriage, single), etc.

?What ever happened to the ole’ expression “agree to disagree”?

?If we could move past our fear of offending someone or being offended, and rather, approach each interaction with a spirit of care, curiosity, an open-mindedness to listen/learn, and a refrain from judgement - We all stand to benefit!?IMO, the alternative sucks, if we continue with a “watered-down” approach and only communicate with folks that share similar viewpoints (echo-chamber) - to avoid the risk of being ostracized or canceled - we will miss out; Missing opportunities to collaborate with others and exchange ideas and differing viewpoints, opportunities for “authentic” human interaction(s), and opportunities to connect with our fellow “peeps” at more than a surface level.??

I enjoy hearing other people’s stories/backgrounds, views and understanding their perspective -- why they see the world differently than me. Who knows, I could be missing something or maybe they teach me something that shifts my views a bit, or maybe I can learn something to grow as an individual or at the very least appreciate their view based on their unique set of variables – “why they see things the way they do”.

?I know what you’re thinking… “ #linkedin is a professional social network, and this is the wrong platform…

?To that, I disagree...

Business is built on relationships, formed over time by identifying synergies and “consistently” demonstrating integrity, trust, authenticity and, of course “value”.?That said, to arrive at a mutually beneficial relationship – the conversation must go “deeper” (beyond what is often deemed acceptable in the public arena).?This requires a level of vulnerability, transparency, and a willingness to have an open dialogue, and one that may lead to a healthy debate or even worse a “disagreement”.?My goodness… if we all thought alike, this world would be a boring place.?

?The current movement is encouraging the wrong behavior, which only leads to more division (evidenced by our current society) and missed opportunities for #personalgrowth and #networking (Note: both foundational to LinkedIn…)

?Just my thoughts... In summary, people are awesome, every walk of life, color, creed, gender, back- ground etc... (Although, in every group you have those that are Mis-guided and a bit “scum-baggish”) ?? “ELE” Everyone Love Everyone.”

I encourage everyone to communicate “freely” & feel free to start today by reaching out to me.

Cheers, Brian J. ?

About the Author and Professional Pursuit

Brian Janosz is a student of technology, well-versed on the tech-stack, an enthusiast for “CX” (and the intricacies of the Contact Center). He is a family man with origins to Northern California and now a resident of Chattanooga, Tennessee. He has enjoyed a career in technical sales and currently spends his time as Business & Technology Consultant.?As a consultant, Brian has worked with clients around the globe in the evaluation of technology.

As an Independent Consultant and Advisor, he objectively represents (without bias or a preconceived direction) a wide range of suppliers, manufacturers, and products to serve the requirements of business and tech leaders alike.?With over 20+ years of experience and an extensive network of industry connections, he can guide the entire evaluation process of your current and future technology.??Brian provides consulting for Cyber Security, Physical Security, Data Centers, Business Communications, Network Connectivity, Video Conferencing, Collaboration, Contact Center, Customer Experience, Business Intelligence and Automation (to include AI, Bots, Machine Learning, Self-Help/Directed, and IOT).

Brian is also an active member of LinkedIn and the industry “matchmaker” Vensearch. You can find more of his publications on LinkedIn and Top Cyber News Magazine.?

Brian is energized by his consulting work and family, but he has the ambition of becoming a social media influencer. He sets time for creating content that holds value for his prospects and clients. His goal with “content creation” is to create articles that are insightful, thought provoking, relevant to his audience, focused on issues impacting his clients and other business/tech leaders (i.e., top-of-mind topics, current events, changes in regulatory/compliance/privacy etc…).?This has increased his demographics and expanded his network reach.

Brian is inspired and driven by his ongoing pursuit to create positive change in the world and provide for his family; wife Nichole and adult children (Carter & Lexi) and of course, the two family Bulldogs “Max and Daisy”.

Brian Janosz, President | Business Technology Consultant?(916) 848-9270