The Question That Reset Avaya (CEO Patrick Dennis)

That first all-hands.

Patrick Dennis, CEO of Avaya, walked in expecting nerves and optimism.

Instead, one question he was asked changed the room.

It wasn’t dramatic or confrontational.

But it was revealing.

It showed to him that the organization wasn’t aligned on reality.

And misalignment at that level doesn’t stay neutral. It compounds.

I’ve seen this pattern more times than I can count.

Leaders hear a question and assume pushback.

But sometimes the question asked IS THE DATA.

Sometimes the raised hand is the WARNING LIGHT.

What inspired me most in our conversation was how Patrick responded.

No corporate speak or protecting people from the numbers.

You'll hear in our conversation how he chose to communicate with clarity, knowing it would cost comfort.

That decision shifted everything and ultimately made HUGE results possible.

It shifted the organization's trajectory.

So, when your team asks the uncomfortable question,

how often do you treat it as resistance or as information?

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