Unbiased advice

When was the last time you had a truly unbiased business conversation?

Really think about this - who are your go-to people for business advice?

...and what are their motivations?

Not everyone will have them. For some, helping you might be their only motivation.

But it can help to think about what they might gain (or suffer) from your outcome.

For example (motivation in bold):

• A supplier might make a credible argument for going in a direction that requires you hiring them
• An employee might discourage a new project, for fear of being overwhelmed with extra work
• A board member might encourage a change that would look good on their CV
• A mentor might not challenge your bad idea because you’re paying them

I know, it sounds like I'm accusing everyone of having an agenda... I'm not.

Maybe they’re an innocent yes-person. Maybe they’re a bum-kisser. Maybe they’re completely naive about their motivations... or completely intentional about them. Maybe the advice they're giving is actually the best option, despite their implied motivation.

You've probably said or heard some version of this: "of course they'd say we need a new website... they're web developers!".

Without being overly cynical, I believe it’s worthwhile considering whether someone you lean on for advice might have an alternate incentive for giving you their opinion.

Then you can choose to skip the advice, or still take it knowing it comes with an asterisk.