It’s
not enough!
Increasingly I see those in leadership – business,
politics, academia – taking strong positions against those who are in
control. They shout; they protest; they
complain. They use the media, social
media, feet on the street, or the courts to send a message. The message is almost always a negative
one.
We
stand against you!
We
stand against your values!
We
stand against your policies!
In some cases they may have a valid argument. But that is not enough. You cannot simply be against something. If you oppose another’s position, you must
instead be ‘for’ something. And you must
be able to articulate it in such as manner so as to demonstrate that your
message is not only contrary to the present order but that it is also viable
and with merit.
Opposition is easy.
You can stop traffic by simply sitting in the middle
of the road. But if your intention is
to change traffic patterns, that takes much more thought and preparation. And therein lays the rub.
Too few leaders are willing and/or able to
constructively oppose. It takes too much
work. It takes too much thought. And it takes too much risk. These people are like water and find the path
of least resistance.
Opposition is crucial to improving
circumstances. As iron sharpens iron,
constructive opposition…constructive criticism…is imperative as we evolve in
every aspect of our daily lives. Business,
politics or academia must always be seeking the ‘next’ in terms of best
practices. And that occurs at the
junction of ‘position vs opposition’.
Are you leading in a manner that encourages
thoughtful and respectful dialogue? Are you
willing to be challenged and to open your mind to options your once discarded
or never considered.
Leadership does not imply that YOU have all the
answers. But it does expect that you are
willing to search for them regardless of the ultimate source.
