Questioners and Truth Tellers
One of the biggest challenges teams have is engaging in group thinking.
The problem often begins when a leader is so strong or charismatic that he influences the rest of the team to think just like he does. To further complicate things, if this leader is in charge of all hiring decisions, he probably hires people who are just like him. They think like him, speak like him, and sometimes even look like him!
In this environment, “group thinking” looks like this: the leader poses a question, the leader suggests a course of action, and everyone nods in agreement. The final decision is based on one single, unchallenged idea.
Personally, I have always benefited from having people on my team who think differently than I do!
These team members share my passion for our vision, but they have a perspective on life and business that is unlike my own. They may be more risk adverse. They are often much smarter. They bring their own brand of wisdom and personal experience to the process. They are skilled at thinking through the details and requirements of my entrepreneurial spasms.
Most importantly, they have the confidence and courage to challenge my ideas and assumptions.
There are countless advantages that come from having people like this on the team. We are better at thinking things through from multiple angles. We spend more time on planning, resulting in better execution and results. Sometimes, we kill my big ideas before they kill us.
I am not exaggerating. Having courageous truth tellers and questioners on my team has been a life saver for Building Champions.
If you lack these people on your team or in your life, you have to invite them in. Be hungry for differing opinions. Then, when you get the type of feedback that challenges your position, do NOT shut them down or play defense. Listen intently, and stretch yourself to fully understand what they see.
You and your team will be the better for it!
Related posts:
- Asset or Advantage?
- In Times of Crisis, Do You Make it Better or Worse?
- Things Will Not Fall Apart
- Keeping Your Perspective
- They Must Leave Better Than They Arrived
Tags: Decision Making, Executive Team, Leadership, Listening, Teamwork
Couldn’t agree more. I think putting together this kind of team (where everyone is NOT like you, if your the leader) goes against our grain and so is accomplished best with intentional design. I’ve believe and have learned that “silence” is a learned response, if your team does not question, probe, challenge, push, push back…you might need to ask yourself, why not? It might not be because your the only one with ideas or that all your ideas are just good. Maybe…your team has just “learned” to be quiet. I love that you encourage leaders to “be hungry” for differing opinions, I would just add that “differing” does not mean “opposing” we’re on the same team, we all want to win!
Great addition to my post Kim. Thanks for adding value!
Daniel
Thanks for your post. I know that where I work, our staff is facing some challenges because many are not up-to-date with technological requirements of the new century. I think the transition between the 20th century and the 21st century is taking some time for a lot of people. I’m hoping that I soon can give some input to make some changes. I hope I can frame some good questions and prompt some “truth”-seeking.
Lead by example Patricia. Look for opportunities to show the benefits and effectiveness that results from the technological advances.
The best to you,
Daniel