What If? • Finding The Words
About This Episode
Have you ever questioned the impact you can make as one person? What If you have a far greater influence and impact than you realize? And what if your micro-level decisions can result in powerful and positive macro-level changes?
This week’s episode comes from the Finding The Words column, a series published every Wednesday that delivers a dose of communication insights directly to your inbox. If you like what you read, we hope you’ll subscribe to ensure you receive this each week.
Like this episode? Read this article in our weekly Finding the Words column.
-
Carrie Fox: Hi there, and welcome to the Mission Forward podcast, where each week we bring you a thought provoking and perspective shifting conversation on the power of communication.
Carrie Fox: I'm Carrie Fox, your host and CEO of Mission Partners, a social impact communications firm and certified b corporation. Today, I am bringing you a short form episode drawn from my weekly Wednesday column. If you like what you hear, I hope you'll head over to missionforward.us and sign up to get these insights delivered right to your inbox each and every Wednesday morning.
Carrie Fox: You can also help me out by forwarding this show to a friend and giving this show a 5 star rating, which helps make sure this content gets out to more people who can benefit from it. But enough of that. On to today's show, What If? Have you ever questioned the impact you can make as one person? Maybe you stopped yourself from speaking up because you didn't think it would matter.
Maybe you fell through on a commitment because you didn't think anyone would notice. Maybe you went along with the status quo because it just felt like the easier option. Maybe. But what if? What if you had a far greater influence and impact than you realize?
And what if your micro level decisions can result in powerful and positive macro level change? In my book, More Than Words, I share the story of an advertising executive whose work has moved millions of people to action, supporting dozens of brands and causes. She often spends her time thinking about the big picture impact of her advertising campaigns. The impact she says is sometimes hard for her to feel personally. When we talked, she had been thinking about the design decisions that often go unnoticed.
She had been thinking about the power she has through every one of her choices to either break stereotypes or reinforce them, to build inclusive practices or maintain exclusive ones. And as we talked, it became clear that her seemingly little decisions could carry as much weight as the big ones, especially regarding advancing equity and inclusion? What if she swapped stock photos for actual photos and gave people credit for their involvement? What if she prioritized meetings and calls with employees who hold less power rather than always prioritizing meetings with her more powerful colleagues? What if she invited and celebrated different perspectives and points of view in the weekly meeting?
What if she advocated for a lesser known, but equally qualified vendor who could bring an entirely new point of view to their work? And what if you did the same? Advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion principles can feel complex, unwieldy, and in some political climates downright impossible. It never is though. We can advance the principles of DEI in every decision we make, in the significant commitments and policies we advance as organizations, and in the small actions and gestures we make day after day after day as leaders?
What if you approached every micro level decision as an opportunity to advance the principles of DEI in your work? What if you leaned into hard conversations, invited new perspectives, to advance social justice. I've seen what's possible when we dare to ask what if and then lean into that answer. So whether you manage a big brand or a small startup, a team of 1,000 or a team of 2, there is power in every single one of your decisions. Your individual power to make an impact.
Consider the effect of your big decisions and your small ones too. Then ask again and again, what if? Bottom line, my friends, dare to ask what if this week, and I guarantee the answer will inspire you. And that brings us to the end of another episode of mission forward. If you like what you heard today, I hope you'll stop right now and give this show a 5 star rating wherever you are listening to this podcast.
Maybe even forward it to a friend who you think would enjoy today's conversation. And, of course, check out the show notes for all of the links referenced in today's show. Mission Forward is produced with the support and wisdom of Pete Wright and the True Story production team, as well as the wonderful Sadie Lockhart of Mission Partners. You can learn more about our work over at missionforward.us, and, of course, reach out to me anytime at carrie@mission.partners. Thanks for tuning in today, friend, and I'll see you next time.
