Today I facilitated a workshop for a group of directors.  I seem to be challenged at times when people don’t want to recognize the choices available.  At times, some really feel comfort and, can I say joy, in being helpless.  When this shows up in a workshop – I can’t just let it go.  I need to bring it out and really just throw it on the table – so we can talk about it.  And I really get where this is uncomfortable to talk about, because misery loves company which is about talking about the other choices – beyond misery – we might have.  It’s not the type of company I care to keep, let alone enable. 

Today’s session provided for a really great opportunity to think about work and the choices one makes – or chooses not to make.  If we can talk about the difficult choices – like simply doing nothing, or choosing another job – doesn’t that empower us?  Empower us because we have choices?  

I hope that it does, because what I can’t hear, is “i have no choice, no matter what I do things won’t change.”  I don’t know about you, but this stops us in our tracks and puts us right back into that default future.   And then, yes, you get to be right – nothing will change.

Is that what you want? Not me, I choose to play a different game. One where the options – all of them, even the ones I don’t want to say out loud exist.  That’s the game I play.  How about you?