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Let The Best Idea Win
By Mark Cole
I
was reminded of a valuable lesson in a team meeting recently.
The purpose of the meeting was to discuss an event our
team will host this year.
After
setting aside an entire afternoon to prepare ideas, I felt very confident about
what I was bringing to the meeting.
But
soon after the meeting began, it became very clear
we were headed in a different direction than I anticipated.
One after another, ideas were put out on the table — most
of which were clearly different from mine.
Everyone
in the room seemed to be in sync with each other, except for me.
Then
a key team member launched into an idea that the entire room seemed to love.
People erupted with ideas building off the original one.
You
could feel the energy in the room totally shift.
Just like that, we were miles away from my original
vision.
As a leader, I have to ask: what would you have done in this situation?
Would you have pushed your ideas to the front? Or would
you have embraced the cohesion in the room even though the ideas were different
than yours?
Leaders naturally fight for their ideas.
But the most successful leaders are secure enough to allow the best idea to win.
Harvey
Firestone, founder of Firestone Tire and Rubber Company, said, “Capital
isn’t so important in business. Experience isn’t so important. You can get both
of these. What is important is ideas. If you have ideas, you have the main
asset you need, and there isn’t any limit to what you can do with your business
and your life. They are any man’s greatest asset — ideas.”
Great organizations possess leaders who produce great
ideas. That is how they become great.
Their
meetings don’t feel like wrestling matches to see who can dominate everyone
else. Progress is made because they want the best idea to win.
How do you as a leader foster a culture where the best
idea wins?
1. Listen To All Ideas
Be
careful in the brainstorming process not to shut down any ideas that may seem
unrealistic or useless; this could prevent you from discovering the good ones.
Alfred
North Whitehead said, “Almost all really new ideas have a certain aspect of
foolishness when they are first produced.”
It
is most important that you create a collaborative environment where the team
can share ideas, shape them, and then take them to the next level.
2. Never Settle For Just One Idea
One
idea is never enough. Multiple ideas make you stronger.
Despite
knowing this is true, I sometimes find myself being quick to settle on one
idea. I get caught up in the rhythm of making decisions and making things
happen.
As
leaders, we can get so focused on trying to take the hill that we fight our way
to the top only to realize it’s not the right hill.
When
people are open to ideas and options, they can keep growing, innovating and
improving.
3. Look For Ideas in Unusual Places
If
you want to find good ideas, you have to actually look for them.
I
can’t remember the last time a good idea came looking for me. That’s why, it’s
important that we keep our eyes open for ideas, even in the unexpected.
Good
leaders pay attention and are always searching for ideas. Inspiration can be
found anywhere!
Walking
down the street, listening to music in the car, on a date with your spouse;
wherever you are, always be on the lookout for ideas.
4. Don’t Take Rejection Personally
The
most effective way to kill a creative meeting is to take rejection of your idea
as a rejection of you as a person.
When
you do that the meeting quickly becomes about you and your feelings rather than
about brainstorming new ideas.
You
may think that your ideas are the best, but when everyone else in the room has
a different opinion, it pays to listen.
A culture of collaboration will always benefit the
organization in the long run.
I
encourage you to think in terms of our idea
instead of my idea or her idea.
Leadership
is not about getting your own way — it’s about winning respect and influence,
and helping your entire team win.
When you as the leader let the best idea win, your team
wins in the end.
Mark Cole serves as the CEO of all John
Maxwell Companies and has more than 25 years of leadership and team development
experience, which uniquely qualifies him to have an integral role and be the
champion of the John C. Maxwell brand. He is committed to adding value to
individual leaders and leadership teams. Mark has experience in both the
non-profit and for-profit sectors, and he has led companies through economic
challenges, growth barriers, and disconnected team dynamics.
Mark has learned team development from the world’s leading
source of expertise: John C. Maxwell. Mark has worked more closely with John
than anyone else in the world, and brings exclusive access to John’s real time
principles to the Team. Mark delivers time tested leadership principles ranging
from personal leadership to multi-corporation leadership. He resources leaders
to develop those around them, ensuring teams are working to their highest
potential.
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