My favorite comic book super-hero is Daredevil, known as 'The Man without Fear'.
If you are not familiar, Daredevil is the only blind super-hero. A childhood accident blinded young Matt Murdock, but somehow his other senses compensate to such an extreme degree, including the development of a "radar-sense" that allows him to perceive his surroundings, that he is able to assume the persona of Daredevil.
;)
Daredevil is 'The Man without Fear', because he never hesitates to leap into action, he never second-guesses himself, and never hesitates to put himself at risk for fear of his own safety. He is bold. He takes action. He takes risks.
He is the kind of guy we all wish we could be.
I know, Daredevil is a comic-book hero, real life is so much more complicated, and the economy is so bad that most of us feel afraid to take risks, to expose ourselves to scrutiny and potential problems.
So many of us just want to go to the office, keep our heads down, and hang on.
Believe me, I completely understand that point of view. We all have bills, mortgages, kids to worry about. Taking unnecessary risks is just about the last thing on our minds.
But the future, whatever it holds, will not be written by the folks who spent most of their time staying out of the line of fire. History forgets the timid.
You have a great idea, or maybe just a good idea. A way to fix a broken process, improve a customer experience, or build a better, more productive workplace.
Don't keep it your yourself. Don't be afraid for your reputation or image. There may be more opportunity now than any time in the last few years. The markets have perked up lately, it for a time anyway, seems the stories of massive corporate layoffs have slowed down.
If a blind man can put on a costume and venture out into the night to protect his city, then you can be bold too.
The economy is not going to be revived if all of us just keep our mouths shut and hope not to get fired.
We all need more men and women 'without fear', and I include myself in that admonition.