Page 83 - Fearless Leadership

70 FEARLESS LEADERSHIP

We trade our effectiveness and relationships for the need to be right.
And we pay a high price in terms of consequences.

The Impact of Needing to Be Right

• Business results and relationships are damaged, and an
adversarial environment emerges. Leaders defend, protect,
and argue positions to the exclusion of the enterprise perspective.
• Positional thinking dominates, and focus shrinks. People
focus on “who will win” instead of “how we can accomplish our
mutual and higher goals.” Some leaders fight for their position,
and others comply to avoid conflict.
• Unhealthy competition and a we-they environment
emerge. People debate about positions instead of exploring
new solutions.
• Conflict escalates, and the business unit or organization
becomes divided. People line up behind leaders and their
positions, and camps materialize.

WHAT KEEPS US STUCK IN THE NEED TO BE RIGHT
When you become stuck in the need to be right, you have a compelling
goal: to win and have your view prevail. Once your view becomes a
defended position, perspective is lost. People begin to identify you not as
“Joe” but as your “position.” You feel the need to defend yourself and be
right. Backing down and losing face is not an option because it comes at
too high a price—the perceived loss of credibility. You lose sight of the
original event that triggered your reaction and become trapped in the need
to be right.
The factors that keep you fixated on the need to be right are

1. Believing your perception is the truth
2. Expecting others to judge you by your intention
3. Building a case
4. Not investigating other views
5. Engaging in either-or thinking