January 8, 2016

Open to challenges

Gates

No one is always right, so we’re smart to look to others to help out, to challenge and health check our thinking.

Whether you look inside the organisation or out, you have to actively encourage those around you to get involved when you ask them to, and when you don’t.

Every manager has listened to the wind and watched the tumbleweed blow through when they ask for questions or comments from the room. But if even your closest team don’t push back you’re either mythically gifted or putting no-go signals in the way.

Building trust takes time, and consistent, frequent reinforcement. One meeting where you ridicule or chew-out a challenge undoes months of progress.

Be vulnerable – more, “Let’s find the flaws” than, “What do you think?”

You need their help, so make it easy to give.

Skippy Strategy: Show the door is open for challenges – don’t just say it.

Category:
Teams