Turn Someone Off.

Hi! My name is Parissa. This is "Modern Badass: A Field Guide", a place for Modern Badasses to feel seen, heard, understood and respected. And, it's also a place for others to crack the code on the Modern Badasses in their lives (and maybe learn some badassery themselves). Want to receive this 2x/month? Hit "the" subscribe button above!

I dare you to turn someone off.

WHAT?

Yes, turn someone off by telling them you're against them or what they may be saying to you.

If you've been a long-time connection or follower of mine, you know that I spend a LOT of time talking about enrolling and engaging your clients, peers and teams. I'm big on declaring who you are FOR and why you are FOR them. I shared about the importance of goal and values alignment and what happens when they're not aligned.

Embrace being polarizing.

You can't only be FOR someone and not be AGAINST someone else. Our natural inclination is to want to be for someone and ignore the against because you're worried about offending someone or hurting someone's feelings. I get that. It's understandable. It feels alienating and isolating.

It's just as important to say who you are against as it is to say who you are for.

Against doesn't mean anti. Being for someone doesn't mean it's at the expense of someone else's experience or opportunity. It does not devalue someone's purpose or role. This is not a binary sort of zero-sum game.

Let's step away from abstraction and into the actual.

I say that I am for driven, edgy high performing C Suite and Senior Leaders, whom I call Modern Badasses. That means that I am against people who are just starting their careers. Because I am not anti, I introduce them to impactful and insightful coaches that are for them.

Nuance matters.

Exploring nuance within who you are for is critically important. Let's look to the story of Icarus from Greek mythology for some help. Icarus flew too high, against his father's advice, in his escape. In doing so, the sun melted his wings, he crashed into the sea and drowned.

I often talk about how my Modern Badass clients are change agents and disruptors. I am excited to partner with them as they come from their big hairy a$$ goals (BHAGs).

And, within this group, I am against hubris.

The story is the birth of the "don't fly too close to the sun" idiom. Icarus was escaping prison. And yet, he was in the prison of his own hubris and ignored the truth of feather and wax wings: flying too high would be at his peril.

In partnership with my clients, we explore what needs to be created for the BHAGs to come true from the vision. In other words, have the vision but create the ideal conditions so you won't crash. This means I boldly tell them of the perils of their arrogance. I embrace the risk of turning them off.

Also, within this group, I am against playing small.

Icarus' father also told him not to fly too low as the sea would ruin his feathers. There are times when my clients shy away from BHAGs to play it safe. They create multiple excuses (e.g., timing) because it seems a "wise" move.

But really, it's like death by 1000 papercuts. Playing too small is at everyone's peril because we miss out on the gifts of their innovative, disruptive spirit. I boldly tell them to stop creating excuses that drive them to play small. I embrace the risk of turning them off.

Clarity serves.

Stating who you are for, who you are against, what you are for and what you are against creates clarity. It creates content and context so that you know how to best engage the person sitting across from you and the person sitting right next to you. This clarity is the ultimate act of powerful service.

I know. It's not easy. Yet, I believe it's the right thing to do.

I'm curious. Who are you for? Who are you against?

Care to hear more?

Want a refresher about what makes someone a Modern Badass? Read more here. Don't forget to hit the subscribe button above and also:

1. Subscribe to the Sixense Strategy YouTube Channel where I share past sessions of Badass Bytes, my livestream, as well as the LinkedIn Video Series.
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3. Book time here if you'd like to speak 1:1 with me.

For And Against,

Parissa

P.S. I'd love to work with you, Badass. Let's talk about any of these options that may intrigue you.

1. What Sparks You? Let's talk if you're ready to channel your awesome, state who you are for (and who you're against) but you're unsure as to how to start. I can help! Let's have a conversation so that we can identify your blocks and get you back on the badassery road.
2. What's Your Vision? You're bursting with creativity and wish you had a strategic thinking partner to help you. I'll design a Sixense Vision a half-day workshop just for you. We'll talk about your past, your present and design a strategy to craft your "no regrets" future. It also includes a Hogan Assessment and debrief.
3. Create Your Next Adventure. Retain me as your advisor and coach. My Modern Badass clients love working with me 1:1 because I am an objective thinking partner and strategist who champions (and challenges) them as they ponder their next audacious goal. I don't hold anything back and I speak truth to power with power.