We've all been in the situation where you know things just aren't right. Whether its a sense that comes from your brain, your gut or your heart, it's for sure a feeling that is actively setting off the BS radar. In this session we'll discuss some safe and trusted techniques for approaching and handling it with your teams and leadership. We'll also explore some better practices we can personally embrace to limit the amount of BS we ourselves spread.

1. @daniel_davis
Safely Calling BS Against
Teams & Leadership

2. Safely Calling BS
@daniel_davis
• Brief Intro
• Focus For The Session
• Seeded Question
• All Things Safety
• Q & A
Agenda
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3. Safely Calling BS
@daniel_davis
• Founder/Lead Consultant at Elev8
• Business Improvement Consultant
• Developer & Technical Coach
• Innovator, Life Hacker, Maker
• Pro Snowboard Instructor
• Parent of 3 + 2
Brief Intro
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4. Safely Calling BS
@daniel_davis
• Discussion over Presentation
• Principles over Prescription
Focus For The Session
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5. Safely Calling BS
@daniel_davis
Seeding A Question
From your own perspective, what is the most
important thing needed to being able to call BS?
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6. Safely Calling BS
@daniel_davis
What is BS?
🐂💩 or it’s close synonym 🐎💩
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Bullshit (also bullshite or bullcrap) is an expletive which may be
shortened to the euphemism bull or the initialism B.S. In British
English, "bollocks" is a comparable expletive.
It is mostly a slang term and a profanity which means "nonsense",
especially as a rebuke in response to communication or actions
viewed as deceptive, misleading, disingenuous, unfair or false.

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@daniel_davis
What is BS?
BS comes in all shapes, sizes, forms and colors.
Luckily for most of us, our senses can pick up on it pretty quickly and
we tend know it when we see it, (or hear it, or smell it, or touch it or I
am really hopeful not the last of the senses).
Perhaps best described in our intro song with the classic early 2000’s
Outcast hit song Roses…
“I know you'd like to think your shit don't stank, but lean a
little bit closer, see roses really smell like poo-poo-ooh”
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Anti-BS Characteristics
In order to better understand what it takes to combat it, first we are
going to review some Anti-BS Characteristics…
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Brave -
The quality or state of having or showing mental or moral strength to
face danger, fear, or difficulty.
A person who sees a dangerous situation and immediately reacts
bravely without thinking.
Anti-BS Characteristics
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10. Safely Calling BS
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Fearless -
Lacking fear; a feeling of anxiety concerning the outcome of
something.
One who does not hesitate to put themselves in harm's way to
accomplish the needed goal.
Anti-BS Characteristics
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Courage -
Having or showing the ability to meet danger and difficulties with
firmness.
The ability to do something that frightens you.
It is seeing a situation or a dangerous/scary experience and acting,
even though you're scared and unknowing of the outcome.
Anti-BS Characteristics
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Confident -
The feeling or belief that one can rely on someone or something.
Allows one to experience freedom from self-doubt and negative
thoughts.
Makes you more willing to take smart risks and more able to move
outside your comfort zone
Anti-BS Characteristics
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13. Safely Calling BS
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Empathy -
The ability to emotionally understand what other people feel, see
things from their point of view, and imagine yourself in their place.
Essentially, it is putting yourself in someone else's position and feeling
what they must be feeling.
Anti-BS Characteristics
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Trust -
Firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or
something.
To rely on another person because you feel safe with them and have
confidence that they will not hurt or violate you.
A foundation to relationships as it allows you to be vulnerable and
open up, without having to defensively protect yourself.
Anti-BS Characteristics
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15. Safely Calling BS
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Safe (Psychologically) -
The condition of being protected from or unlikely to cause danger,
risk, or injury.
Psychological safety is being able to show and employ one's self,
without fear of negative consequences of self-image, status or career.
A shared belief that the team is safe for interpersonal risk taking and
where team members feel accepted and respected.
Anti-BS Characteristics
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The Safety Spiral
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Safe
Empathy
Confident
Trust
Courage
Fearless
Brave

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• Open Minded
• Optimistic
• Self-Aware
• Instinctively Understanding
• Trying new things
Additional Characteristics
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• Encouraging
• Avoid Temptation
• Perceptive
• Never Settle
• Take One For The Team

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EQ over IQ
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Emotional Intelligence over Intelligence Quotient -
Remember that we’re all human, working with other humans.
And as humans we have emotions, bias, beliefs and traits that make
us who we are.
We need to work to meet people where they are.

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Knowing When & When Not To Call It
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Emotions are very powerful influencers.
Ones to lean into…
• Happiness
• Excitement
• Joyful
• Pride
• Contempt
• Complacent
Ones to avoid…
• Anger
• Guilt/Shame
• Fear
• Anxiety
• Confusion
• Sadness

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Professional vs. Regular
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There are folks out there that feel you should have different
levels of proficiency related to some of the characteristics.
Ex. Professional Courage, Fearless Leadership, etc…
IMPO - I think they are full of BS!

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Building Strength
Like all things in life, getting good at these characteristics takes time
and lots of practice.
Lots and Lots of it. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Look for support from…
- Mentors/Mentees
- Accountability Partners
- Coaches
- Friends and Family
- Teams & Leadership
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• Don’t take it personally or directly assume it was malicious.
• Even if it was.
• Call it on a claim, not a person. Say, “I don’t think that’s
correct”, rather than “You’re full of shit”.
• Do so with humility.
• There is a chance you may in fact be the one full of it.
Considerations To Better Handle BS (Theirs)
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• It all starts with awareness and acceptance.
• Focus on “Less ME Mentality” and “More WE Mentality”.
• Avoid getting caught up in the “Blame Game”
• Heard a good phrase recently that strangely enough relates
to our theme here today… “Don’t should on me!”
• Avoid the word should in general.
Considerations To Better Handle BS (Ours)
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Re-Seeding The Question
Now from your new perspective, what is the most
important thing needed to being able to call BS?
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25. Safely Calling BS
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When you get back to work, what’s one thing you
will do to make Safely Calling BS within your
organization a real, more regular ongoing thing?
A challenge for you…
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Q & A

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Thank you!
Daniel Davis
dan@elev8.services
Twitter - @daniel_davis
linkedin.com/in/davisdaniel