Sharing your point of view is one of the best ways to add value. So why do so many high performers hold back? Here's how to overcome this mental block so you can speak up and stand out.
Excellent article - agree with all points. I’d suggest just one more nuance.
Put in the hard work of thinking and viewing all angles of the problem and when somebody opposes your point of view, trust yourself to hold your conviction without the fear of being wrong. With politeness and respect, hold your ground while understanding the opposite point of view.
It’s easy to just give in. Then you’d do yourself a disservice.
I'm more concerned if your manager does not want to be wrong and does not like it when you point out the flaws of their plan and question their credibility. Ive seen orgs like that where it would be in the best interest of everyone working below to just stay quiet if they want to keep job. Its definitely not a fostering environment.
Thank you Wes! This couldn't have reached my Inbox in a more timely way. I've managed a team with a couple members who constantly agrandized claims and made mountains out of mole hills. I learned to evaluate the situation and not the person but it took energy to discount their claims like you mentioned. Your advice was not only helpful for me personally but also for a future conversations I would like have with the team.
Excellent Article. Agree with all the principles and points made by you Wes.
Principle 3 reframed something I've been doing wrong for a while. I've been treating instinct and evidence as opposites, like a hunch is only worth sharing once you can 'prove' it formally. But the insight that instinct is subconscious data points you haven't articulated yet completely changes the equation. The hunch isn't the problem but the lack of articulation is. So the fix isn't to wait for certainty but it is to slow down and trace where the hunch is actually coming from. That's a skill you can practice, not a threshold you have to wait to cross. This connects directly to hypothesis-driven thinking in consulting, where you're expected to have a POV early and sharpen it as evidence comes in, not wait until everything is proven before speaking up.
"It’s a pet peeve of mine when people talk as if they have absolute certainty when I know they couldn’t possibly be as certain as they sound." A million same. Fortunately (I guess?) this comes up most often with my spouse, who will blithely announce he's "sure we'll be able to tell when the car's alternator needs to be updated" (note: he is not a car person) and I want to gently scream THERE IS NO WAY YOU CAN BE "SURE" ABOUT THAT.
Excellent article - agree with all points. I’d suggest just one more nuance.
Put in the hard work of thinking and viewing all angles of the problem and when somebody opposes your point of view, trust yourself to hold your conviction without the fear of being wrong. With politeness and respect, hold your ground while understanding the opposite point of view.
It’s easy to just give in. Then you’d do yourself a disservice.
I'm more concerned if your manager does not want to be wrong and does not like it when you point out the flaws of their plan and question their credibility. Ive seen orgs like that where it would be in the best interest of everyone working below to just stay quiet if they want to keep job. Its definitely not a fostering environment.
Thank you Wes! This couldn't have reached my Inbox in a more timely way. I've managed a team with a couple members who constantly agrandized claims and made mountains out of mole hills. I learned to evaluate the situation and not the person but it took energy to discount their claims like you mentioned. Your advice was not only helpful for me personally but also for a future conversations I would like have with the team.
This is great to hear Yahnny. I’d love to hear how those conversations go. Thanks for being here and learning together!
Excellent Article. Agree with all the principles and points made by you Wes.
Principle 3 reframed something I've been doing wrong for a while. I've been treating instinct and evidence as opposites, like a hunch is only worth sharing once you can 'prove' it formally. But the insight that instinct is subconscious data points you haven't articulated yet completely changes the equation. The hunch isn't the problem but the lack of articulation is. So the fix isn't to wait for certainty but it is to slow down and trace where the hunch is actually coming from. That's a skill you can practice, not a threshold you have to wait to cross. This connects directly to hypothesis-driven thinking in consulting, where you're expected to have a POV early and sharpen it as evidence comes in, not wait until everything is proven before speaking up.
"It’s a pet peeve of mine when people talk as if they have absolute certainty when I know they couldn’t possibly be as certain as they sound." A million same. Fortunately (I guess?) this comes up most often with my spouse, who will blithely announce he's "sure we'll be able to tell when the car's alternator needs to be updated" (note: he is not a car person) and I want to gently scream THERE IS NO WAY YOU CAN BE "SURE" ABOUT THAT.
A well-balanced article with useful tips!