I should be fired…
If I haven’t put myself in a position to get fired, I might not be as good of an innovation leader as I want to be….

(subsequently published in Forbes) http://www.forbes.com/sites/mikemaddock/2015/02/18/why-just-about-every-single-head-of-innovation-including-me-should-be-fired/

I might
I might be too comfortable. I might be avoiding conflict. I might be biting my tongue. I might be afraid to ask others or myself the challenging questions. I might be holding back. I might be withholding valuable opinions. I might be lacking valuable opinions. I might be withholding controversial dissent. I might be scared of pushing too hard.

I might not
I might not be trying hard enough. I might not be thinking hard enough. I might not be learning enough. I might not care enough…maybe because I care too much about how others will react or what others might think of me? I might not be challenging the status quo enough…maybe because I might be benefiting from the status quo?

I might
I might be dutifully playing it safe. I might be afraid to take enough business or career chances. I might be afraid to make mistakes/fail. I might be afraid to take the blame. I might be afraid of the unknown. I might be waiting for others to go first. I might be giving consent and power away with my silence. I might be trapped along with the rest of the silent neutral majority, waiting…thinking that my delay isn’t costing me, my family, my team, or my community.

Bottom line
If I am not doing these strongly enough, I should be fired.
If I am doing these too strongly, I should be fired.
Either way, I should be fired.

My purpose as an innovation leader is to role model a belief in the impossible and to live the impossible, even if it makes me uncomfortable. I need to be living the impossible out loud, in front of the sea of people who don’t fully believe (yet) but desperately want to. I need to be all in. By doing so, I accept the risk of getting fired…and it’s worth it.