When directing a team, how do you deal with those who challenge your direction with a perspective different from yours?
"I want to bring my best self to work and have strong teams that I trust as much as they trust me. That means always besting my personal best; to do that, you have to be willing to grow and learn from others. My professional and personal growth is best served by learning what my teams, or tribes, have to contribute to my evolution. I am always open to listening to, taking in, and considering all perspectives. If there is a reason you might not implement the suggested strategy of someone on your team, then you better share that good reason for the sake of their growth and development. We are neither above the other. All for one and one for all."
"I suppose it depends on how they challenge my direction. As long as it is respectful and doesn't compromise the integrity of my leadership, there is nothing wrong with that. I also never respond defensively to being challenged, regardless of how that challenge is delivered. That can also compromise the integrity of my leadership. I always respond with a cool head and embrace the differences of every member of my team. If they lack tact or challenge me in an insubordinate way, they have a growth opportunity ahead of them, and I need to help usher in that growth by showing you genuinely care about their development. But, ultimately, as a leader, it is incumbent on me to understand the intentions, the background, and the unique perspective of every member of my team and proceed from there."
Before answering this question, examine their values and how they define their culture. "We celebrate talent, embrace each other's differences and genuinely care about our team members' success. To sustain our culture with intention, we devote teams and resources to support learning, understanding, diversity, inclusion, and the talent experience." RSM doesn't necessarily see challenging perspectives as a bad thing. Instead, it frequently fosters innovation. So avoid examples where you dealt with subordination, as this could be interpreted as ineffective leadership. Showcase your emotional intelligence and how you value the input of everyone on your team. Your greatest success as a team leader is the success of your team.
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