Jason-
I think we have had some similar experiences and learnings around personal awareness and authenticity. I think that authenticity has become a truly compelling issue for me because I see the far reaching change needed in how we do business as being dependent upon massive amounts of courage.
Authenticity makes courage more likely, more meaningful and more impactful. Though it does not make it any easier or safer.
People know what is wrong.
People know when teams are mediocre.
People know when meetings are pointless.
People know when their talents are being wasted.
People know when the truth is not valued.
If you know who you are and what you are about, I think it is more likely that you will be willing to speak out and surface some of the organizational contradictions that surround you.
But this is not the norm.
The norm is to accept those organizational contradictions, the gaps (sometimes huge) between what we claim to be as an organization and what we actually are. As long as that is the case, all of the best practices in the world, all of the change management expertise in the world, all the fancy new technology in the world are of little real significance.
We need more fighters, we need more courage.
-joe