We're living in a "cancel culture" society where we're so afraid of saying the wrong thing, that we decide to say nothing. But what if our silence is more dangerous and damaging than expressing what we really think? We don't all have to have the same opinions and agree on every topic, but it's important that we have the opportunity to express differing opinions and learn from each other. It's also important to listen to people that have different views than us. If we silence opposing opinions then we are not challenged and are no longer growing and getting better. This just creates an echo chamber that won't give us an opportunity to really think about how things can be improved. Today's guest explains why calling attention to the elephant in the room is important.

Scott Harvey spent 20 years as a hostage negotiator and public information officer and is not afraid to have difficult conversations. As a professional speaker and communication coach, he speaks to tens of thousands of people each year teaching them the tactics they need to speak with confidence and build their influence. Scott believes that in our "cancel culture" world, our silence is killing us because our reputation and our organizations suffer. Luckily, we can learn communication skills and how to effectively have hard and necessary conversations.

In this episode, Scott explains that we can't influence real change and have a voice if we are too worried to speak up. Having the fear of saying the wrong thing is a good thing because of course we don't intend to hurt anyone, but it's important to note that it is easier to defend your action than your inaction. People might mistake your silence for apathy, so just be real because our world is desperate for authenticity.

Key highlights:

• Why Scott retired from the police world and stepped into the speaking world
• Scott's thoughts on cancel culture
• The danger in silencing opposing opinions
• How to influence real change, and it isn't through social media
• Why you should challenge yourself to listen to both sides and form your own opinion
• Scott's opinion on why people stay silent
• Take time to listen to critics because they might have something that makes you better
• Why people unfollowing you and unsubscribing is actually a good thing
• How to approach difficult conversations
• Tips for building rapport and trust with your audience

For resources and links mentioned in this episode, visit: 365driven.com/episode286