Here is an unpopular fact: your idea isn’t always the best.
In the modern workplace, we are problem solvers. Ironically, a lot of the problems we are trying to solve are self-induced. Yet, that is the way of organizational culture. Problem-solving is a function of progress. The two are not mutually exclusive.
As we strive to resolve the issues in our workplace, our biases often take center stage. They dictate the direction of our actions, sometimes in a way that hinders our progress.
This creates a conundrum for us. We aren’t always right, yet we try to be. We try to be right in our approach, our delivery, and our actions every day. But where does that leave us? It leaves us spending energy trying to defend our position. It leaves us spinning our wheels in the mud, trying to maintain our own viewpoint without considering others.
It’s a hard truth to swallow, but your idea may not always be the best. Yet, in our minds, we often refuse to entertain such a notion.
“Every man I meet is my superior in some way. In that, I learn of him.” – Walt Whitman
Recognizing the value in others’ perspectives and expertise can lead to more innovative and effective solutions. If we pay attention, we can learn from others.
But, that is not what we do. Because our idea is the best idea.
We dig our heels in, fight what the other person is trying to say, and close off to the world. What’s worse, we begin to take other people’s input as attacks against us.
We take it personally.
It doesn’t need to be this way.
We owe it to our organizations and our colleagues to consider that we are not the be-all and end-all of problem solvers. We have to acknowledge that at any moment, another person can have an idea or a solution much better than our own.
Arguing over how to attack details is pointless. Each side will dig in and become stubborn. Each side will let their self-worth be decided by which plan is better. You can be better than this. There is more to a person than a title or bragging rights.
Legacy is built upon actions.
Accomplish the mission first by seriously considering other individuals’ plans. When the mission is first and worrying about who gets credit for accomplishing the missions is last, progress reigns.