Unbiased advice

When was the last time you had a truly unbiased conversation that involved the day to day running of your organisation?

Really think about this - who are your go-to people? ...and what are their motivations?

Not everyone will have one. 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
• A team member 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 coach might not challenge your misguided direction, just because you’re paying them

I realise that I’m implying insidious activity from people you know and likely trust... that’s not the intention.

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

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

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

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