I love to challenge ideas; even my own. Challenging someone else’s idea, however, can be perceived as obnoxious, unappreciative, or unsupportive, unless an appropriate relationship exists among the people on the team prior to issuing a challenge. I have to be careful, therefore, how I challenge another person’s idea, but I think the best ideas have undergone critical thinking prior to introduction.
I have been in organizations where the leader shut down ideas without discussion, and others where there was no challenge of ideas at all and bad ideas prevailed. (My son Nate wrote a good post about one reason that happens HERE.) Mistakes are okay if we learn from them, but why not challenge the idea on the front end and eliminate some of the pitfalls if possible?
One value of a team is that with more input, risks stand a better chance of being eliminated and success has a better chance of being achieved. The team effort isn’t near as effective unless the freedom to challenge ideas is welcomed.
Here is my thinking: If your idea can’t withstand the challenge of critical thinking, then either it’s not a good idea, you haven’t thought it through enough, or you are an insecure leader. Allowing your idea to undergo a healthy challenge can make your great idea even better.
What do you think? Have you experienced leaders afraid of the challenge? Could that leader be YOU?
Agree with you wholeheartedly. I am thankful for a smart, open-minded, but discerning leadership team who has saved me from bad ideas on MANY occasions. Great advice, Ron.
Thanks Herb! You are becoming (you are) a great encourager to me!
My husband has been my greatest challenger. Early on in our marriage, I got upset when he stood against what I was saying, but over the years I realized that if my ideas were valid, they would withstand his challenges. Like I tell him, I need to discuss things with him because he helps me work the ideas out so that they are reasonable and rational.
Strong companies will usually have a culture which allows challenging ideas and changing the status quo. This is one of the reasons they stay strong. The risk is when we actually challenge the leaders authority by challenging their ideas.
Good point. I think it's probably easy to see on the landscape of companies (and churches), which ones do this well. Thanks!
This very proccess of challenging ideas, whether your own or someone elses, is why I LOVE the college class rooms and dorms. Recently a college friend visited Marla and I. Making the most of this oppertunity, as I enjoy doing with college friends, I sparked a loving debate. As we presented our facts and opinions I noticed that I was being forced to "iron out" the theological and vocabulary wrinkles of my thought and presentation. No matter how great of a communicator you are, people will still see a different verson of your vision. If we, not only as leaders but peers as well, do not allow a person to challange us we are sentencing our ideas to a slow and painful death.
I love working with college students for the same reason. My two college-aged boy are consistently challenging my ideas. Love it!