Richard Branson … You are the Host of the party, be the first to jump in the pool
I will often kick off a meeting by vision casting, and then I later wonder if I did the right thing.
Did I just plant a seed in peoples mind instead of nurturing the seed they already have?
Did I set an expectation that this is the path we are following and I am not interested in other views?
Did I create an environment where people are comfortable sharing opposing ideas?
I tend to be the one in the room that is the most comfortable with change and ambiguity.
I tend to push harder than anyone else.
After pontificating, I like to step down and work through the room to get people’s feedback.
I am human, I love it when they agree and confirm. It makes me feel good.
It also makes me proud when they disagree.
I am proud of them for clearly articulating their disagreement and concerns.
I am proud of the team for coming together and collaborating instead of mailing it in.
I am also proud that I have created an environment where people feel safe to disagree.
Sometimes I am wrong.
I am comfortable with that.
I am happy about that.
That is how I learn
That is how I find out that our team has checks and balances that work