If you’re like most people, you like being right. And why wouldn’t you? It’s good to have an accurate view of the world around us, and it feels pretty great to be on the right side of an argument. There’s certainly nothing wrong with being right.
However, there’s more to the story than just being right. If you’re a warrior, then you need as few enemies as possible – the decision to fight til the better end is a wise one. But you’re not a warrior, you’re an entrepreneur, and that means you need more than just fewer enemies. You need more friends, a stronger team, and genuine knowledge. No matter how visionary you are, you might have missed something. And no matter how much you know, there’s always more to learn – as a human being, it’s simply a fact that you’ve been wrong before and you’ll be wrong again.
Embrace that! If you find yourself on the wrong side of an argument, be aware that you are now improving your worldview by accepting the correction. You should be rewarding those who challenge you and try to impart improved information. At the same time, when you have the correct information, you should share it peaceably and rationally rather than fighting for it. You don’ t just need a well-informed team; you need a respectful team. That starts with you.
One of the best ways to approach differences in opinion and debate is to simply ask questions with the intent of finding out more information. These questions defuse tension by allowing people to showcase their knowledge without having to aggressively push it, while at the same time allowing that information to be questioned by others in a rational manner. What’s more, if in the course of questioning it becomes clear that some previously held information was inaccurate, allowing people to come to that conclusion on their own as they work out the answers to questions is far more effective than simply telling them conflicting information and hoping they see that you’re right. Of course, if you’re not right, you may find that out as well. And that’s good for you and for your business.
It’s not about being right every time. It’s about being wrong, and finding that out so you can improve.
