As we take the day to honor those who served our country and are no longer with us, the canaries who helped keep many Americans safe also come to mind.  In addition to canaries being used in coal mines to uncover the presence of carbon monoxide, they were also used in several wars as an early warning device to detect certain poisonous gases to save human lives.

Why am I talking about canaries in relation to being a change agent?  As change agents and leaders, many times we are the proverbial canary in the coal mine in an organization.  We see things in the organization that others do not seem to see.  What we do with these insights and how the organization responds to us can differ and can be the difference between a:

• Project going smoothly vs. off the rails

• Manufacturing site staying compliant vs. being cited for violations and potentially incurring financial and operational penalties

• Financial gain vs. a financial loss

Below are three different canaries in the coal mine.  Which one are you right now?  If you’re unhappy with the one that describes you, what is one step you can take towards the canary in the coal mine you want to be?

1. Timid Canary sees the issue in the organization, yet remains quiet and says nothing because you fear making waves or because you don’t know what to do about the issue. You stay safe and the organization never benefits from the insight you have and misses out on the opportunity to address the issue.

2. Canary in the Twilight Zone sees the issue in the organization, sounds the alarm by speaking up on the issue, you’re shocked the organization sees nothing wrong with it, you become frustrated and resentful at how the organization is treating you after speaking up, and feel you are being suffocated. You no longer feel safe and the organization ignores the issue because they see it as business as usual.

3. Hero Canary sees the issue in the organization, sounds the alarm by speaking up on the issue, the organization is appreciative of the early warning, you become a beacon of light for the organization in how to address and resolve the issue, and you can breath easily knowing your early warning was heeded. You feel safe and the organization benefits from your insight and seizes the opportunity to address the issue.

For those of you who are timid canaries, it is understandable you have chosen this path as it is safe for you.  And, what if there is a way for you to speak up in the organization and be safe?  

For the other canaries who speak out on an issue in an organization, this takes courage and bravery.  You speak up because you want to help the organization, the people in it, and/or its customers.  It may not always turn out the way you want it to, and, that is where lessons learned and continuous improvement comes in as you’re human and no human is perfect.  When you know better, you do better.  So take a pause and honor yourself for all the times you did have the courage and bravery to speak up to make a difference.

Call to Action

• Want to be a different kind of canary in the coal mine? Reach out to Rosanne for support in becoming the change agent you want to be.

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About the Author: Rosanne Essiambre helps change agents and departments in one-on-one and group settings to be seen, be heard, and be effective in bringing about change in the organization and/or in their personal lives. She provides consulting and facilitation to organizations to improve communications and collaboration, smooth out the change / transformation journey, get to the root cause of an issue so it can be solved for good, improve processes, and implement successful lessons learned. And she conducts workshops, trains, and speaks on Energy Leadership, Emotional Intelligence, Resilience, Being a Change Agent and more. If you or your organization could use support with your change effort or some inspiration, contact Rosanne for a complimentary consultation. Rosanne is a Change Agent Coach, Facilitator, Six Sigma Black Belt, Change Management / Continuous Improvement Consultant, Speaker, and Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner with more than 20 years experience working on a variety of transformations across a diverse set of industries both domestically and internationally, while continuously improving herself.