I’ve joked for years that I’m the turd in the punch bowl. I’m rarely afraid to say what I think, even when I know it won’t be popular. That’s not because I enjoy being contrarian. It’s because I’ve always believed that if you have expertise and conviction, you shouldn’t be afraid to use your voice.
Over the years, that has come with a price.
When I worked at a producing TPA, I believed the industry’s practice of hiding fees from plan sponsors had to end. Transparency wasn’t a radical concept to me, but it certainly wasn’t embraced by everyone. I’ve also never been shy about saying that many payroll provider TPAs simply don’t deliver the level of service or technical expertise that independent TPAs often provide. Those opinions don’t earn you invitations to every conference cocktail party. They don’t make you everyone’s favorite person.
What they do is make people remember your name.
Too many people are uncomfortable when someone has a different opinion. The most secure professionals will debate the issue on its merits. The insecure ones take it personally. They view disagreement as an attack instead of an opportunity to challenge their own thinking.
I saw that growing up as well. Whenever I disagreed with my parents on politics, sports, or just about anything else, the response was often that I had been “brainwashed.” It couldn’t simply be that I had reached a different conclusion. For some people, accepting that someone they care about thinks differently is harder than believing someone else must have manipulated them.
Having opinions won’t make everyone like you. It may cost you business opportunities, friendships, or invitations. But if your opinions are thoughtful, honest, and backed by experience, they’re worth expressing.
I’d rather be remembered for saying what I believe than forgotten for saying nothing at all.
