The leadership trap of “knowing”
My husband and I watched the movie The Big Short recently, for the second time. He was preparing to teach a lesson to his class on the housing market collapse, and the recession of 2008.
This quote, often incorrectly attributed to Mark Twain, popped up on the screen:
"It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure, that just ain't so.”
It got me thinking about the trap leaders can easily fall into when they think they “know” something. This potential idea-killing challenge comes up often in team meetings and is also a frequent topic of coaching sessions.
It's pretty easy to spot. Someone states their opinion, assertively. If the opinion-provider has positional leadership authority, they may influence the team’s thinking away from new paths. If the person is not viewed credibly, people may disregard their comment and miss something important.
It often sounds like: “We tried that before and it didn’t work.” Or, “You haven’t been here long enough to know what we know.” It can be very explicit, or harder to spot, as it seeps into unspoken cues and attitudes.
When a leader takes a position of knowing something already, teams shut down. They are careful not to tread on the authority of the leader. They don’t want to be disrespectful. They don’t want to challenge the leader.
“Knowing” is the antithesis of the journey of discovery for teams deploying a strategy and creating a new and successful future for their organization. Knowing and “telling” by leaders can be the death of innovation, and motivation. It can cost you dearly.
Conscious leaders establish environments and cultures where teams are free and safe to unlearn and to “unknow”-- so disbelief is suspended, and new discoveries for the well-being and health of organizations can be made.
So, it wasn’t Mark Twain. But the reminder is a good one.
What do you think you “know” that is getting in the way of a culture of learning and innovation?
Sherri McArdle is a wife and mother to adult children and has been a business leader/owner for over 25 years. She is also a Master Certified Coach (MCC) to leaders and executives across the country and a trained mediator.
