Not sure if i have every posted this.... before by Ps Jeff... really great insight. One of the best leadership advice i have read so far. But this is a great lesson i will learn to put into practice in hopefully all areas of my life. Hopefully this piece of advice can radically transform your life as it does mine
Promoting Constructive "Insubordination"
I had been scrolling through a leadership book recently. One of the sections was quite refreshing to me.
It began with the well said statement that “if both of us are always agreeing, then one of us is redundant.” When everyone agrees, especially just for the sake of getting along, we’re unlikely to achieve the best outcomes.
Researchers asked fifty groups of students to solve a murder mystery. They found that groups of people who had the most diverse social backgrounds and experiences were the most likely to solve the case. Not only were the homogenous groups more likely to be wrong, they were also more likely to express greater confidence in their answers despite being wrong!
Historian Doris Kearns Goodwin tells the story of how Abraham Lincoln consciously and willfully assembled a cabinet made up of the very men that he had defeated in the election. She stated that it spoke of Lincoln’s political genius revealed through his extraordinary array of personal qualities that enabled him to form friendships with men who had previously opposed him.
If Abraham Lincoln could manage to lead a team of rivals (former rivals) under the challenges of the Civil War, we should certainly find it within ourselves to manage the conflicts we face, modest as they are by comparison to his.
The section concluded that leaders have to make it possible for people to argue with each other – up, down, in, out and sideways – if we are to realize the best from our very diverse and talented team!
I hope that this would help all of us to be even better leaders in every arena of our lives.
It began with the well said statement that “if both of us are always agreeing, then one of us is redundant.” When everyone agrees, especially just for the sake of getting along, we’re unlikely to achieve the best outcomes.
Researchers asked fifty groups of students to solve a murder mystery. They found that groups of people who had the most diverse social backgrounds and experiences were the most likely to solve the case. Not only were the homogenous groups more likely to be wrong, they were also more likely to express greater confidence in their answers despite being wrong!
Historian Doris Kearns Goodwin tells the story of how Abraham Lincoln consciously and willfully assembled a cabinet made up of the very men that he had defeated in the election. She stated that it spoke of Lincoln’s political genius revealed through his extraordinary array of personal qualities that enabled him to form friendships with men who had previously opposed him.
If Abraham Lincoln could manage to lead a team of rivals (former rivals) under the challenges of the Civil War, we should certainly find it within ourselves to manage the conflicts we face, modest as they are by comparison to his.
The section concluded that leaders have to make it possible for people to argue with each other – up, down, in, out and sideways – if we are to realize the best from our very diverse and talented team!
I hope that this would help all of us to be even better leaders in every arena of our lives.
The above blog really opened up my eyes.The truth is great leaders are not those who only surround themselves with the people who agrees with them but they are able to surround themselves with people both friend and foes.
Actually when i was pondering about this... I just realise... the current President Obama of the USA is actualy practicing the same principle. He is appointing people into his cabinet who not only once ran against him in his nomination like Hillary Clinton but also those who support the republican. His motto is to have a more bi-partisan cabinet so that he will be able to get the best of both worlds
I believe in all organisations, foundations and groups, a more well rounded team allows a better decision as it provides not only accountability but also effciency. The key i realise to many failures both for companies and individual is they become afraid of "criticism" per say and surround themselves with people who would agree with them on every level. Not that its not good..but a great leader is one who can make their "worst critic" their best advisor.
I really hope in 2009, people who are assuming leadership either i companies, foundations or organisations can take this and use it to their advantage
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