ish happens

ish.

This is the word we use when something is stuck between being and not being. Between is and is not.

For example, we might say, “that shirt is red-ish.” Or, “I’m feeling sick-ish.” And sometimes, “the weather is a bit warm-ish.”

Describing things as ish is handy, because it helps us avoid committing when we’re not quite ready. And when it is used in the course of regular conversation, we tend to accept this half-way point as okay, and we carry on. We typically do not challenge convenient ish-isms.

But when is being ish not okay? What about in leadership? Is being leader-ish okay, not okay, or maybe okay-ish?

Read my Lead Change Group post, Leader-ish: When You’re Not Quite a Leader, to find out if you’re being a leader, or just leader-ish.