Be an upstander not a bystander. This is a powerful phrase I was introduced to last year. The challenges we face in society today are enormous – multiple wicked problems. So how can each of us do anything that makes a difference? It is easy to be daunted by that question, but I think there is an answer.
Each of us, in our professional and personal lives, have agency in the roles we occupy. Some have more agency than others but we all have it. Each of us also have a level of risk tolerance, whether that is to do with our relationships, financial security, personal health, or career prospects etc. My encouragement to us all is as follows. Within the bounds of your agency and risk tolerance, bring constructive challenge to what you do. Speak up, speak out, question things when they don’t seem right. Be an upstander, not a bystander and a force for good in a sector and world that really needs it.
This was part of what I had to say when I addressed ‘the family’ at the Transport Planning Society Annual Dinner in London earlier this month. I’m delighted to say that this week’s edition of Local Transport Today (https://lnkd.in/eG8kxZc6) has included an article covering the speech which I share below.
Within the speech I also referred to the ‘Professors’ Letter’ which is 20 years old this month. There is also an article in this week’s edition on that (https://lnkd.in/eVgZsb4Q). Phil Goodwin and I hatched a plan that resulted in 28 professors of transport signing an open letter to the then Secretary of State for Transport Alistair Darling.
It expressed our significant dissatisfaction with transport’s state of affairs, and suggested that road pricing should be part of the answer to the tensions between supply and demand, with road building being kept in check. Perhaps the letter would not feel so out of place 20 years on….
Thanks to Sarah Simpson 🤘 there is a clip from the speech at the point where we reflect upon the wisdom of Elon Musk…https://lnkd.in/e7BEXfRx
What the hell is going on? 
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