Andrew Millar on serial dissenters in a company

A quick note on a great article I read this morning. I’m late to this show - it was in my reading queue I’m procrastinating on - but when I read it, it rang a bell. Actually, it rang pretty much a whole bell-tower with a carillon in it.

Consider the following, quite familiar to me:

Throughout school and early in my career, I got away with being mouthy, annoying and opinionated. I could usually talk my way into and out of arguments. But as my career progressed, I hit a ceiling created by my lack of awareness. I pissed off too many people, and my progress stalled. It was hard for me to accept compromise — or, as I saw it, mediocrity. Once, I was screamed at during a board meeting for being outspoken. I was fired from a job where my chronic disagreeing wasn’t welcome. Yet I didn’t stop.

Why? I was naïve. What’s more, I was outrageously wrong at times, and even though I knew that, I would insult people and refuse to back down. I really wish I could go back and shut my mouth for me.

Yes, that would be exactly how I feel as well. And while I am still considered to be rather critical by my peers, I feel I am sometimes too complacent now. But you may not agree with me.

Anyway, an interesting article to read, it dates back to the beginning of 2018 but remains highly relevant. Enjoy!