“Well, if they ain’t gonna listen to me, then I’ll just keep my mouth shut!”

“If they don’t wanna hear what I have to say, then I won’t say anything!”

“Nobody around here seems to like any of my ideas, so I’ll just keep ‘em to myself!”

“Every time somebody gives their input, they get beat up over it, so I ain’t sayin’ nothin’!”

“They can’t make fun of my idea if I don’t tell ‘em what it is.”

“The best thing to do around here is to keep my head down and my mouth closed.”

Have you ever had thoughts like those? Chances are, with the probability of better grammar, you’ve thought something along those lines at some point in your life or career.

As leaders, we tend to get frustrated when people just won’t listen.

As followers, we tend to get frustrated when people just. won’t. listen.

You read that right.

Regardless of our roles, we want to be heard and want our thoughts and ideas taken seriously. Leaders feel it, followers feel it, and people who think they’ll just be Switzerland feel it.

When we decide, “I just won’t have any input” or “I’ll just keep my ideas to myself,” we must realize that we are communicating loud and clear. But that message is neither productive nor helpful.