Whose ‘Proper Way’ Is It, Anyway?

Good strategizing involves making room for other perspectives on your team.

Have you ever wondered why there seems to be a right way, wrong way and some third random way a team member chooses to do a task?

Last week, I ran a poll on LinkedIn. The question was, “What is the first thing you think of when I say, ‘1 and 1’?” The answers I gave were 1 + 1 equals 2 and 1 and 1 are 11. I never even considered others would answer that 1 and 1 referred to foul shots in basketball, or a ball and strike in baseball!

You can see how quickly your team may come to a different way to do a task. Our unique histories and perspectives mean that each of us sees life through a different lens. Diverse perspectives allow for creative solutions.

As a leader, any time you need everyone’s best ideas on the table, you must be careful not to provide the roadmap but instead provide your team with a high-level goal and allow them the opportunity to deliver exceptional results. This holds true whether you are brainstorming a new way to do a process or strategizing for the future.

To learn more about my strategy…