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While working in New Zealand recently, I met the CEO of a large manufacturing company. Although he agreed with my philosophies around leading innovation, he was one of those "yeah but" guys.
As I presented my keynote, he would very politely ask questions which always began with "Yeah, but..." After he'd done it a few times, I shared with the audience an intriguing part of leadership that starts with language. I challenged the audience (and indirectly this CEO) to answer the question - are you a "yeah but" guy or a "yeah and" guy?
You see, if whenever you are reviewing a new idea, and the first thought that comes into your mind is "Yeah but...", you're basically putting a full stop straight on the end of the idea.
Great innovative leaders like Steve Jobs, Richard Branson, Peter Drucker and any other leader who has a reputation for being innovative or imaginative is a "yeah and" guy. "Yeah and" guys are looking for all of the possibilities. They're looking to add, further develop and move forward.
On the other hand, "yeah but" is exactly that. It's the first negative that hits a new idea or different way of thinking right between the eyes. After a while, anybody who is presenting new ideas to you will get tired of the "yeah buts" and they'll start wondering why they bother.
This is not restricted to the workplace, either. Think about your home life and whether you are a "yeah but" or "yeah and" person with your children and loved ones. So consider that little voice inside your head and also that little voice that you vocally promote to those around you. It's such a powerful leadership tool! |
