Relationships are pissing contests in know-it-all organizations.
It’s a losing proposition to work for know-it-alls. YOU’RE never good enough. THEY’RE always right.
People don’t respect learners in know-it-all organizations because everyone already knows.
The future belongs to learn-it-alls. There is no hope for a know-it-all.
Know-it-all organizations:
- Have group-work, but not team-work.
- Fear new ideas and methods.
- Stress over appearance.
- Require command and control hierarchy. The people upstairs KNOW so they TELL.
- Judge the future by the past. Know-it-alls did it right last time.
- Choose to avoid mistakes. (But innovation is built on mistake-making.)
- Can’t share responsibility for failure. Throw people under the bus.
Warnings:
Beware the tendency to believe competence is transferable. Just because you’re good with numbers doesn’t mean you know how others should run teams.
Beware the tendency to over-value your strengths and under-value the strengths of others.
Moving from know-it-all to learn-it-all:
#1. Top leadership embraces learning, curiosity, advice-seeking, and coaching, as a day-to-day practice.
I don’t advise you to embrace a learn-it-all approach in a know-it-all organization, unless you’re at the top of the pecking order.
If you’re in the middle of an organization, become a learn-it-all with your team.
#2. Don’t ask for advice, seek options.
Seeking options seems stronger than asking for advice.
Say something like, “I want to be sure I’ve covered all the bases:” (or explored all the options.)
- What else should be considered? (Make it non-personal. Don’t use words like “we” or “I”.)
- Who else needs to be part of this decision?
- Who has expertise that we might leverage?
- What have we learned from past mistakes/successes?
Perceived knowledge blocks curiosity.
A knowing attitude is a closed mind.
What are the marks of a know-it-all culture?
How might leaders move their organizations to a learn-it-all approach?