Why Modern Leaders Learn From Disagreements
It is hard to disrupt the way we think about the world, the way we have always tackled problems and perhaps the way we have always led others. It is so easy to believe that our perspective is the only perspective and get caught with our blinders on.
It can also feel uncomfortable to learn something new or try to understand a situation from a new perspective. In my research, of all eight attributes of the head and heart, perspective has a truly special quality. It’s like a turbo-boost to becoming a modern leader. Leaders with a growth mindset embrace challenges and persist. Modern leaders see disagreement as a chance to learn and understand every failure is an opportunity to grow.
Before making a decision which may lead to a disagreement, ask yourself;
Who else is impacted by the decision and what is their perspective?
What can another point of view tell me that I may have missed?
What other information needs to be gathered to validate the perspective I am taking?
“Disagreements don’t have to be destructive. They can be opportunities to come up with better ideas.”
- Hanne K. Collins, Charles A. Dorison, Francesca Gino & Julia A. Minson in their article, How to Disagree Productively
What decisions do you need to make this week where another perspective is needed?
You can read more in my latest book, Head & Heart: The Art of Modern Leadership, which is available everywhere.
You can also follow me on LinkedIn and Instagram where I tend to be the most active. See you there!