When clarity meets courage
Hello again!
We’ve wrapped up the Big Picture Thinking and Decision Making pilots, and we’ve learned so much. One specific theme came up that quietly connected both groups:
Seeing clearly is not the same as acting confidently
While participants learned how to map systems, how to recognize patterns, and how to structure better decisions, a deeper set of questions kept surfacing about what to do with all of those insights once you have them:
How do you build the courage to speak up?
How do you build the trust that positions you as an advisor people will listen to?
March Reflections: The Two Sides of Influence
Influence has two sides. The first side is intellectual. Can you:
connect the dots clearly
structure your thinking
articulate what is really happening
frame a recommendation simply
This is where skills like Big Picture Thinking and Decision Making help. When your thinking is clear, your message strengthens.
But there is a second side to influence, and it is deeply personal: Do you feel permitted to say it?
Several participants voiced a version of the same tension: “I can see this opportunity, but it feels above my pay grade to make the recommendation.”
That hesitation is rarely about competence. It is about exposure. Putting an idea forward means being seen, and possibly being challenged. Influence requires both the clarity of an idea and the courage to share it.
A Small Shift
Instead of asking: “Do I have the authority?” You might ask: “Is this a useful perspective to contribute?”
That reframing moves influence from hierarchy to a sense of responsibility and value creation that anyone can bring. Truly building future-ready skills isn’t about more knowledge or better analysis, it’s about thoughtfully participating or driving conversations that are based on those ideas.
➡ Try This:
Think of one idea you have been holding back. Before deciding whether to share it, do two things:
1. Strengthen the thinking
Can you explain the situation in three sentences?
Can you name one risk and one potential upside?
2. Strengthen the positioning
Whose priorities does this support?
What would make this easier to hear?
If your thinking is clear and your positioning is thoughtful, and it still feels difficult to share, that doesn’t mean it's the wrong move. It may simply mean you are stepping slightly outside your comfort zone.
Start where it feels a bit brave, but manageable, and build from there. Over time, this is how you begin to contribute more consistently and with greater impact.
Is influence a skill you think is important and would like to improve? Let us know if we should prioritize this topic for an upcoming pilot or dedicated learning lab session.
What's Next?
Our next regular offerings of Big Picture Thinking and Decision Making are scheduled for late spring. We're also revamping the Mastering Empathetic Techniques pilot and planning new pilot topics in the background. We'll share more about those soon!
If you’ve been noticing ideas, patterns, or questions in your work lately, we’d love to hear about them. Many of those reflections end up shaping what we explore next at the Academy.
All the best,
The Novaspex Academy Team