rosaparks

I loved the quote that we used in Monday’s motivation this week:
“Stand for something or you will fall for anything. Today’s might oak is yesterday’s
nut that held its ground.” – Rosa Parks

As we celebrate Black History month, there are countless contributions to our world by our black brothers and sisters, but I decided to celebrate Rosa Parks today because she without a doubt held her ground.

When Ms. Parks boarded a bus after a day at work, I imagine her being tired and looking forward to just getting home. Her refusal to give up her bus seat in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955 set off a chain of events that included the Montgomery bus boycott. That boycott resulted in the integration of public transportation. She later said that she was simply tired of “giving in.” A lot of change can come about when we reach this point in our lives.

While our daily decisions usually don’t meet the magnitude of Rosa Parks’ decision, we do all have moments in our lives and work that call upon us to decide who we truly are and what matters most to us. I’ve learned that time and experience help us to gain the confidence to stand up for things that we believe in and in doing so, we create meaningful change for others.

When I was twenty-one, I had a manager who touched my shoulders or would put his face nauseatingly close to mine when talking to me. I was mortified, but I had no idea what to do or say. It was a long time ago and women back then tolerated a lot. Women today have more confidence, tools and support to handle situations like this. I didn’t stand my ground because I simply didn’t know how. Thanks to the women who have spoken up, other women learned how to speak up as well. I was able to help other women once I found my voice. And you can do the same.

In the book I describe having a colleague who repeatedly disparaged his colleagues behind their backs although he was always nice to their faces. After a promotion he became my manager. I was so troubled by this that I felt that I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t say something to him. I told him that I knew who he was, knew how he disparaged his colleagues, and I wouldn’t be able to forget it. By this time in my career, I had found my voice and I was more aware of what was acceptable and what wasn’t. I believed in our company’s values but here was a person who consistently broke them and was promoted when he should have been disciplined. I felt strongly that I’d feel much worse not saying something than losing my job because I spoke up.

There are countless examples, but each of us has our own unique experiences. My point here is that the more you know yourself, the more you know what matters and what doesn’t. Once you know what matters most, you simply won’t be able to tolerate behaviors that go against what you stand for.

Some people decide to not say anything and just leave their jobs or situation. Others have the confidence to do both. Some might not do either because they need a job. I hope that if you’re in this situation that you find someone to discuss the situation with, find a way to address the issue (there are tools in my book) and take the best steps for you.
Those who came before us and stood their ground changed our lives for the better. We have the chance to do the same for others and for ourselves. Big change comes from seemingly small deeds.

Do you stand up for what you believe in? Does something get in your way? Let me know if I can help.