People often agree, or say Yes, when they shouldn’t.
In many circumstances and on many teams, people say Yes to avoid conflict, to please others, or to move matters along quickly.
A quick Yes often suggests a team member who agrees primarily to get along and to avoid creating waves. They may actually disagree, but the risk or cost of saying so is too high, so they concur with whatever is being suggested.
This false Yes usually has consequences later, once decisions or plans are made. Leaders can make bad calls when they think everyone agrees, but they actually don’t.
So good leaders initially refuse to accept a Yes without some inquiry or exploration. They test whether agreement is genuine by pushing back and asking those in agreement to expand on their view.
They don’t challenge a Yes by being confrontational. They do it by getting curious and specific. The goal is to turn a quick Yes into something more concrete, honest, and convicted.
“Tell me how you’re thinking about this.” “What are the risks involved with going forward?” “If you had a concern, what would it be?”
Some leaders get beyond a weak or false Yes by asking for specificity. “What are the next steps?” “Describe the ideal timeline.” “Who will be responsible for what tasks?”
Seeking dissent is another way to press past a flimsy Yes. Asking team members to take the opposite position, or to uncover weaknesses and impediments, probes further into what people really think and believe.
Refusing to take Yes for an answer, at least initially, means leaders don’t confuse agreement with truth. There is always a deeper viewpoint worth uncovering.
Good leaders are always more interested in learning the candid views of others and pushing past easy answers. Yes, or simple agreement, is the easiest answer for team members.
Leaders never forget that.
