Jonathan Dunnett wrote an article titled The Secret, Destructive Power of Unbridled Optimism.
« The truth is, a “we can do it! No problems!” approach may be slowly eroding your team’s morale and trust in you as a leader. »
« When we chose as leaders to make decisions in isolation, we seldom make the best choices. »
« Now, not every decision has to be a collective effort, but when you don’t have group buy-in, you will likely lose the team, either in the short-term or long-term. Had our drill commander dictated that we were going to learn the extra four minutes, practice it after hours in our barracks, and somehow push to the impossible goal, he would have lost us as a team. Thankfully, he did not have optimism bias or cognitive dissonance. »
« What decisions am I making that affect other people? »
« It’s important that you build trust within your team and consult with them appropriately. If someone is impacted by your decisions (even at a second or third degree level), building relationships, trust, and communicating with them gives you a much greater probability of alignment and team buy-in. »
« We seldom know everything… By laying out your understanding of the facts to your team and asking, “What am I missing?”, you can give opportunity to hear new perspectives or be reminded of some key elements which may have been forgotten along the way. »
« Sometimes, feedback is right in your face. It could be a text, an email, or even body language/non-verbals in the room. Seeking clarity by leading with curiosity is going to be a great choice to allow your team to feel engaged, heard and respected. Additionally, creating a safe place and environment to allow for feedback is pivotal. »
« To be clear, it’s also important that we draw lines on where decisions will be made: some decisions require more autocratic decision making, while some allow for greater input. »
Related Reading
Learned Optimism by Martin E. P. Seligman
Articles of Interest 