Some more semantics. When does a suggestion become a complaint?
Suggest: to mention or introduce (an idea, proposition, plan, etc.) for consideration or possible action.
Complain: to express dissatisfaction, pain, uneasiness, censure, resentment, or grief; find fault.
This came up in a discussion yesterday in the context of “employability”, consulting and reference to friends who have stayed in the same organization most of their careers.
Consulting
A consultant, as opposed to a contractor (usually a replacement employee from the clients perspective) is engaged to provide analysis, outside input and suggestions. At what point do those suggestions become complaints? From our dictionary.com definition, and my own sense for the word complaint, I think it has to do with personal connection to something. For a consultant you try to not have your own “skin in the game” to keep your external advantage (and to stay fair).
In my consulting world it can get hard to guide quickly because of things (or people) existing in the organization. Suggesting improvements, I can see, might sound like complaining. I realize it is a fine line that has to do with expectations, desire to get to goals, viewpoint and connection to status quo.
To separate the two maybe consultants need to think in terms of constructive criticism, or, even better, what if statements.
Long Term Employment
If someone complains frequently do they have a hard time staying in roles? If someone does little complaining (or even suggesting) can they stay with one organization their whole career? We all have examples of the complainers that no one was willing to get rid of. Odds are there are also many examples of someone who came up with a fantastic suggestion that pushed buttons and facilitated their exit.
The ability to deliver suggestions in the right way avoids the appearance of complaining. For those who have been employed long periods of time has this exercise effectively squelched their ability to be innovative in any way?
Employability
Consultants, creatives and the eclectic throw this out in conversations (part of their possible lack of employability is the willingness to push buttons). This term fits well in differentiating between suggesting and complaining. What is a suggestion for the “unemployable” (a synonym is usually entrepreneur) quickly becomes a complaint for someone else.
