Defend without being Defensive
~ July 14th, 2010In a recent HBR blog post, John Baldoni wrote a great post about how to Defend Your Idea Without Being Defensive. I strongly agree with what he says and believe it is a good trait to portray in a business environment.
I am sure almost everyone can relate to being so enamored in our own ideas that we want to protect them. Baldoni says: “Just think of the common phrase: This project is my baby.” We can become caught up in the moment when presenting the idea to co-workers, thinking that this is a brilliant plan, and then be disappointed to hear the negative criticism from all around. A great quality to have when passionate about something personal, is to be able to listen to others. That is, be passionate but not too passionate that you can’t hear what others say.
Separate personality from ideology
Everyone has different motives. People may not like your idea, there may be jealousy involved and few, if any, will embrace your idea as much as you have. I think we all need to remember that if our idea isn’t loved by all, that doesn’t mean it’s a bad idea, it may not be right for the timing or for the framework it’s based on.
The three main points Baldoni expresses on how to not overreact:
- Be prepared. Prepare yourself for objections. Develop comeback arguments to address concerns – even use such arguments preemptively.
- Be generous. Consider compliments other for the constructive feedback they offer. It shows that you are someone who is above pettiness. Take the high road!
- Be patient. Patience also requires you to keep your cool. Know that it may take time and effort to persuade other to adopt your ideas.
Remember…
You are not in control of how others react, but you are in control of yourself, which is essential to demonstrating leadership in the face of opposition. Keep your cool even if others don’t. That is the best thing you can do in the moment. You are allowed to go yell to your therapist after, but in work environment try to stay calm and listen to what others say in the moment.
Check out the HBR blog today.
Recent Comments