C-Suite Execs: You Don’t Need a Coach; You Need a Contrarian
…learn to use the opposite side of you…
Unresolved issues and newly crafted ideas actually occupy the same space in the human brain. For the CEO who finished their workday with a nagging problem on their plate or with an exciting new initiative they were contemplating, both tasks manifest themselves in (4) four ways for Executive Leaders:
1. The problem or the idea both begin to occupy ever-larger parts of your available “thinking” space.
2. Both cause you to visualize different scenarios about possible options, alternatives and outcomes.
3. Both cause a nagging feeling that there is some kind of action that is needed (soon) and finally,
4. In order to move either the problem or the idea to a “decision stage”, you need to engage with others on your Team by asking them questions and then listening to their answers.
Most CEO’s have as their main sounding boards (a) themselves, (b) the people who report to them and for some, maybe (c) some of their Board Members. And there is the rub.
The reality is that those people (yes, including ourselves) are biased, often in favor of crafting their answers in ways that are seen as being positive, supportive and helpful. After all, who wants to be known as the Company naysayer? Or who wants to be the first to question your line of thinking?
And while we’re on the subject of getting feedback, the ultimate value of any and all feedback that we get rests entirely on this important point: The quality of answers is always directly related to whether or not we asked the right questions! And what if we didn’t?
We all need a “truthteller”, someone who absolutely has only one agenda which is to provide candid, thought-provoking and challenging ideas for us to add to our own self-created mix of options. Someone who has nothing to lose except their credibility and value if they are less than honest and helpful with you.
Enter the Contrarian (the “opposite side of you”)
A Contrarian is someone who deliberately opposes prevailing ideas, opinions or strategies with the specific intent of providing new perspectives, fostering critical thinking and questioning established norms.
Reread that last sentence if necessary. A Contrarian has to prepare for their work with you. They need to become educated on other ways to think about what is on your plate. While they may be a “phone call away”, they should always distinguish between their “first reaction” to what you lay in front of them and their later opinions that required a bit of pondering. And they do that by seeing multiple sides and angles of the same coin.
Still not convinced you need an “alter ego’? What exactly is the downside of encouraging the exploration of ideas and the possibility of exposing potential flaws in your intended path forward? Maybe nothing happens or changes. Maybe something really important changes or happens. Maybe you avoid a really costly mistake and the negative consequences to your organization and Customers that go with it.
Mutual engagement is the key. The goal is never contention just for the sake of contention. It is to get another version of your truth and the chance for you also to be a contrarian to your contrarian! Any Contrarian who exists just to argue for the sake of argument would be a bad partner to have.
This whole process is also never about gamesmanship or wasting valuable time proving who is right or wrong. It is about testing and retesting our previously (or currently) held beliefs and ideas. Think of it as “whiteboarding” your ideas with an unemotional, practical, intelligent and strategic thinker sitting in as your private audience. It’s all about the process and good Contrarians have great processes!
And yes, “private” means that your Contrarian ultimately stays in the background. They are your resource and your resource alone. And the best ones have zero need for recognition or bragging rights of any kind. Our Partners are very adamant on this particular point as we work with Clients.
One more thing: The best Contrarians serve multiple CEO’s in multiple industries or verticals at the same time. You want someone who has had many experiences in many parts of the business community; a person who can pull from multiple mental (and sometimes) relational resources.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The most successful CEO’s and Team Leaders actively seek out a constant flow of new, different and perhaps challenging ways to solve problems and to evaluate new ideas, initiatives or market decisions. They seldom see threats in other’s viewpoints and their wisdom is born from many experiences, most of which they may not have had if they had only relied on themselves.
YOUR ACTION PLAN:
Find your personal Contrarian.
Retain them as an outsider.
Do not hire them as an employee.
Try it once. Maybe twice.
Maybe as often as your needs for an honest pushback dictate!
We welcome your feedback and your questions on any topic that is important to you.
If you would like to learn more about our Contrarian Services for CEO’S and Boards or to become a Member of our Contrarian Peer Group for CEO’s, please reach out to Allan directly at ad@newcenturypartners.com or to 678.595.2587. Information-gathering is always confidential.
We wish you continued success!
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