We recently watched a heated debate between our client and two of his direct reports. Our client, a leader responsible for a $350M division, and one of the direct reports, the head of marketing, were ready to extend an offer to a candidate for a new position: VP of analytics. But the head of HR was adamant that they had the wrong candidate. Her reasoning, expressed with unyielding conviction, was that the candidate didn’t meet the “adaptability” dimension of the hiring profile, which for her, was a deal-breaker. The leader and the head of marketing felt like while this candidate was admittedly imperfect, she was the best they’d seen of the nearly 40 they’d interviewed, and they were willing to live with her shortfalls. After rounds of discussion, the HR lead played the ultimate trump card and said, “Look, you either want my expertise or you don’t. You made me your head of HR, and if you’re not going to take my advice, then why did you give me this job?”
How to Work with Someone Who Thinks They’re Always Right
Three tactics.
June 26, 2019
Summary.
Many people suffer from “chronic certainty” on issues for which no perfect answer exists. There are three ways leaders can help themselves, and others, broaden their perspectives and have more productive conversations. First, resist the temptation to escalate dueling arguments until someone prevails. Instead, slow things down to surface what’s really going on. Next, consider whether your organizational culture is part of the problem. Does the culture prize assertive convictions? Is decision making competitive? Finally, make it a routine to have others on the team weigh in with differing views when making decisions. The more you practice listening, the more you will begin to feel safe enough to loosen your grip on strongly held convictions.
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New!
HBR Learning
Difficult Interactions Course
Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Difficult Interactions. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
Learn how to resolve those inevitable workplace conflicts.