You Work too Hard When You Close Minds
Disengagement begins in the mind.
Leaders who close minds defeat themselves.
7 Ways Leaders Close Minds:
- Explaining facts. Information apart from seeking input causes disengagement.
- Convincing others your idea is right. Advocate but don’t bulldoze.
- Repeating the same thing. Consistently talk about purpose. Focus on purpose more than tasks. Who are you serving? What are you trying to accomplish beyond delivering a result?
- Telling others their idea is wrong. Dismissive leaders drain people. People learn to nod their heads when you disregard suggestions.
- Raising your voice. Don’t treat conversations like presentations.
- Delegating tasks. People rise to responsibility when they have authority. Task lists are burdens; responsibilities are opportunities.
- Ignoring contributions. Work that goes unnoticed feels unvalued. Cheer effort and energy as well as results. You won’t celebrate much if you wait for the end of the race.
5 Ways Leaders Open Minds:
A leader with a closed mind has a disengaged team.
Openness impacts engagement. A closed mind knows. Leaders with closed minds resist new ideas, interrupt, reject feedback, and dismiss alternative perspectives.
Confidence opens; fear closes. Practice openness even when you’re convinced you know. “Those who think they know, don’t.” Edward de Bono
Consider Nicolas Chamfort’s idea, “What I learned, I no longer know. What little I still know, I have guessed.”
- Be wrong even when you think you’re right. Humility knows there’s more to know.
- Listen quietly. Take notes.
- Say the magic words, “Tell me more.”
- Explore input by asking, “How did you come to this idea?”
- Embrace uncertainty with confidence. “I’m not sure, but I believe we can figure this out.”
How do leaders close minds?
How do leaders open minds?
Still curious:
The 10 Best Ways to Spot a Close-Minded Leader
16 Simple Ways You Can Lead Engaging Meetings
How to Be Open-Minded and Why It Matters
How do leaders close minds?
–with their body language
–when they are defensive
–when they stop listening
Thank you, Paul. Clear and actionable. Practice open body language. Respond with curiosity. Ask a second question.
Thanks for sending over your latest book. I’m anxious to dig into it. Best wishes
Hi Dan and all,
Thank you for great Friday post! I loved part 1 4-7, solid gold. For 2nd part, I tell some direct reports that they have to ‘somehow navigate ambiguity’ which hope lets them know that, basically, we’re all figuring it out. While we figure it out. Equally true in business and life
Wish all LF community great end to the week and lovely weekend ! Cate
Good Friday to you Cate. Thank you for the good word and for having a community perspective. I’m so thankful for the long-term readers and participants of Leadership Freak. It’s a pleasure to be part of it.
“We’re all figuring it out.” !! … And if you ain’t figurin’ it out, you’re lost and don’t know it. 🙂 Cheers
Interesting topic. One challenge that can arise for people in “middle management” is that you need to take direction from and evangelize decisions by senior leadership. This leads to conversations with your direct reports where you’re asking them to take certain actions that they may feel are not the best way to address a problem. I’ve learned that the first critical responsibility of leaders is to ask why when decisions are made, so we can at least explain what’s driving the decision. Still, while we can listen to feedback and consider alternative suggestions, we don’t always have the power to sign off on them or get them approved. I would be interested in hearing any advice related to this challenge for leaders.
Thanks, Bill. Wonderful insight and powerful question. Being in the middle means you’re pulled in two directions, unless the frontline pulls with higherups.
I’ll mull this over, rather than offering the first things that come to mind.
You’re practice of asking “why” is important. It’s useful to know what leaders are trying to accomplish and why this particular path was chosen. However, leadership’s reason still may not satisfy the questions of others. It’s a challenge for sure.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of “listening equals approval,” so it feels better not to listen at all. Then there is the perception if you listen, you’re going to do something about it. I respect your insight and your interest. Best wish