Are you being challenged?

We are all drawn to people who repeat back to us what we already believe. However dissent, not consensus, leads to smarter decisions. What I have noticed in senior management teams, are that few leaders actively seek out challenging opinions. So I question you – are you clearly signaling to your team that you want to hear views different than your own? When people are encouraged to express divergent opinions, they share more information, reconsider assumptions, identify creative alternatives, and alert you to errors. Let your team know you welcome their opinions, more so if they differ from yours. Or take it a step further: ‘appoint’ a Chief Challenger to interrogate you about the decisions you’re making, inviting you to rethink, contradict, or even refute your position.