Don’t let the minimisers drag you down

You’ve information to share, a cool idea or suggestion for something. So you launch it out there into the meeting, the workshop, the room or the conversation. And it floats down softly over everyone, flip ... zip... zop ... like a leaf falling from a tree. 

Someone catches it, backing you up or validating you, reinforcing what you said. Good. Your contribution has been acknowledged.

But then it comes, the grey cloud (no it's snappier), the fly swatter (no it’s more powerful) ... the big boulder.

It’s a Slap. Down.

This is the minimiser, reducing what you said, deflating, downplaying, trivializing. Using criticism, dismissal, or patronizing techniques they be-little. So they can be-big.

When you’re leading a meeting you MUST tune in to this behaviour and moderate or mediate it. They may not realise they're doing it, the killjoys and party poopers.

Minimizing can be a habitual way of thinking, a way of seeing the world, pointing out problems, cautioning and keeping things as they are, under control. Don’t let it drag you down.

Gather the validators and supporters you heard from earlier and continue to advance your idea.

Illegitimi non carborundum