What You Need to Hear

I’ve never been one to say what you’d like to hear. I’ve always been the one who says what you need to hear. I’m accustomed to being uncomfortable all the time — being who I am, where I grew up, and where I continue to live, can sometimes be challenging.

I’ve been lucky because I’ve been surrounded by amazing people who embraced that. On a personal level, occasionally I am reminded that is not cool to mention where I came from.

Initially people didn’t like my answers, although weeks, months, or sometimes years later, some come back and thank me. I’ve come to live with and accept that I don’t do it for them, I do it for me — I must do the right thing based on the information provided and what I know, and give feedback that makes the best sense at the time, based on that information.

On a business level, sometimes the information I share is not the most popular, but I know that “most popular” does not mean that it’s the right thing to do.

It’s important to understand that sharing information comes with responsibilities, and accepting information also comes with responsibilities.

No matter where you are or what you are doing, please know that before you say or do anything, you should consider if you truly understand all the circumstances. Do you have the appropriate insights and details needed to make the decision or provide information?

This is why I have always approached things with the coaching or mentoring model, meaning that I am willing to ask questions, share from my own experience, but also always reminding people to please use caution and your own experience to make the final decision.

At the end of the day, I don’t know the whole situation for your personal journey.

BEFORE YOU GO

We see our blogs as opportunities for dialogue. Please share your thoughts as comments.

1. Are you always seeking what you want to hear, or what you need to hear?
2. Are you surrounded by people that tell you what you need to hear, what you want to hear, or what you should be doing?
3. What do you do to make sure you are getting the best information from the people around you?

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Faris Alami is Founder and CEO of International Strategic Management, Inc. (ISM). He works internationally, presenting Exploring Entrepreneurship Workshops and other entrepreneurial ecosystem — related ventures.

#entrepreneurship #leadership #mentoring #coaching #FarisAlami