Skeptics are among my favorite people, so I couldn’t resist sharing some words of wisdom about my experience with them.
Because in reality, if you ever find yourself in the lucky position of leading people through change and you have some critics on your team, they can be your best resource.
Look, I know skeptics can create a lot of anxiety. When you’re leading change and you’re tired and overwhelmed, people who aren’t fully on board can feel like “naysayers.” And if you let them, they will drain your team’s energy and slow your momentum.
Don’t get caught in that trap.
Don’t let worry about skeptics consume your time or energy.
Instead, lean in to what your skeptics have to say.
Ask them to list potential problems, and then empower them to solve those problems. If you can successfully convert a skeptic by engaging them in the work, you’ll have better outcomes and you’ll garner the trust and credibility you need from many others.
Skeptics are the people who know how to poke holes in things. That makes them essential for your success. No matter what your team is working on, you’ll need a skeptic to warn you about potential pitfalls — so you can solve for them before they happen.
Let’s take this moment to celebrate the skeptics of the world, who make us think a little harder, dig a little deeper, and get to even better solutions in the end.
