Episode transcript The transcript is generated automatically by Podscribe, Sonix, Otter and other electronic transcription services.
Hello, everyone. Welcome to the 5 Minutes Podcast. Today I like to talk on why it's dangerous to give opinion about just everything and why I'm saying this. Because today we live in an avalanche of opinions and people, they think that they know, and then they create a YouTube channel or an Instagram or a TikTok, and they start talking about very serious things without having absolutely any basis for giving that opinion. And this is a phenomena that we are seeing in the world today that is called this influencer world. It's someone that wants to say about Covid or about the war between Israel and Hamas. You know what, on earth? You have a place of speech to talk about this. If you have never, ever been there, if you have never known the history that goes hundreds of years to culminate on what we are seeing today, you know, it's very easy for people to say, oh, this side is right. This side is wrong. You know, this is an offense with everyone that is involved on this war, from the Palestinian people to the devastated events on October 7th, it's unacceptable for people to issue an opinion on that. And let me give you my personal experience. During the time of the UN, I have been to the Gaza Strip. I have been to the West Bank several times. I have been to Tel Aviv several times, I have been to the Middle East several times, and I do not feel that I have enough knowledge about the region to have a final opinion on everything that is happening.
You know, it's just a human tragedy. And these are the facts that we all saw on TV. But I am unable to discuss such a complex topic. However, if you go on YouTube, you see hundreds of people that have never left us or have never left Brazil giving opinions and say, no, no, this is what happened, you know, come on, we need to understand and why I'm using this as an example. Please. This podcast has nothing to do to discuss. Geopolitics is not the aim. It's the aim to discuss. When we can issue an opinion, we need to have a place of speech that I call in Portuguese lugares de falla. It you need to know what you're talking about. For example, when you give an opinion about Covid or when you give an opinion about a technical aspect of your project, please make sure you know what you are talking about. It's not because you have influence that you have, you know, a joker card that you can say whatever you want because people will listen to you, because then you will become a machine of misinformation. And when you have a position of project manager, this becomes imperative that you control this kind of attitude, because this kind of attitude is unacceptable. For example, many times I was managing, leading and advising projects where the technical discussion was on place, and then people came to me and say, Ricardo, what is your opinion? And my answer is, I know a lot about scheduling.
I know a lot about risks. I know a lot about how to make things happen. But I do not know about the best type of turbine to use on that specific situation. But I know one thing. I know where to find people that know that that can help us to decide. But I don't have an opinion. I don't know if A is better than B. Everything that I say will be just a pure and simple thought on my side. Thought on my side. Because when people ask my opinion, I want to make clear if I'm giving an opinion on the topic, that I feel comfortable that I have the knowledge to talk about, or it just, you know, oh, maybe this is good, or maybe this is not good. You need to make very clear, because what we see today, it's a machine of misinformation everywhere about projects, about communication, about project management techniques, about AI. For example, I'm working a lot with AI and what I see today. You know, it's just crazy. And most of the time, everybody that watches me talking on a webinar and this what I always say, I don't know if what is happening is for the good or for the bad.
And honestly, I don't know. I don't feel comfortable to say what will happen. It will be a wonder for society, I hope, but I'm not sure. And it's important that you. Give your opinion with the right context, because otherwise people will make decisions because they trust on your judgment, and then they will create a much more complex situation. Finally, let me give you two advices and on why I recorded this podcast first. If you are listening and if you are looking for a trustable source of information, please make sure that you are relying on people or organizations that know what they're talking about and that you are not just, you know, this kind of conspiration whatever that will not get you anywhere. And on the other side. My second advice to you is when you are on the top seat driving the project, do not use your power and influence to disseminate your opinions with no foundation to exist. Just because you think based on your just feeling that this is the right thing to do and then you move everybody down the hill. Don't do that because this is very dangerous. This will damage your project. This will damage your organization. And this is not what ethical people do. And this is not what we as project managers should do. Think always about that. Enjoy a week and see you next week with another five minutes podcast.
