"When two people in business always agree, one of them is unnecessary."
William Wrigley, Jr.
Does your company, do you, encourage candor, debate and forthrightness?
If so, how can you be sure what you're getting is honesty, particularly when what you're being told agrees with what you and/or the majority opinion believes?
If so, how can you be sure what you're getting is honesty, particularly when what you're being told agrees with what you and/or the majority opinion believes?
I look for dynamic tension between feeling debate was constructive (everyone who wanted to, got to express their views) while at the same time realizing their might be some hurt feelings.
ReplyDeleteDifferent personalities means that some will more forcefully express themselves while others will not. When the first type is too forceful the second might tend to feel like they've been ignored. My job (CEO) is to make sure that happens as little as possible.
Since my company (http://Life-Cise.com) currently is me, in seeking advice I'm always looking for divergent opinions. It's easy for people to listen & agree; it takes more conviction to disagree. So I tend to pay more attention to those who disagree with me. My feelings may be hurt from time to time, but I learn more. Even if I stick with my idea, the contrary opinions usually help me refine my plans.
ReplyDeleteMuch earlier in my career, I was too often guilty of attempting to get my views accepted, because I genuinely felt what I thought was the right course. Often it was and sometimes it wasn't but then I realized that really wasn't the point.
ReplyDeleteThere can be many right ways to do things, some of which will not immediately be apparent. I then shifted to doing all I could to make sure my thoughts were clear, stopping well short of getting them accepted.
What a relief for me. No longer did I have to battle to the bitter end. All I had to do was try to make sure my thinking was understood by others. If the group then decided to go a different way, so be it.
Much easier to have an end goal of communication rather than getting others to do what you think.