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The Newsletter | Edition 068
In our Off-White Papers, we provide practical guidance on how to respond to our rapidly-changing world. This newsletter explores those topics in real-time, with information and action steps on how to make progress now.
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...SIDELINING SKEPTICS
In many ways, skepticism is a defense mechanism against the falseness of the online world we live in. We need to be skeptical of everything we see, or else we risk falling for things that aren’t true. But when you’re the one trying to rally people around a new idea, skeptics can be frustrating. How do we learn to not let the skeptics get us down? And how might we use the insights from our skeptics to actually propel us forward?
  1. Value your naysayers, from Cara Lohman
  2. Craft your own self-policing toolkit, from Caroline Odom
  3. Institute helpful constraints, from Lindsey Marshall
And this week, our illustrations from Chris Campisi.

IN DEFENSE OF SQUEAKY WHEELS

From Cara Lohman

TL;DR

Nobody likes dealing with cynics; in the same vein, it can be nerve-wracking to be the lone voice of dissent in a team setting. But is skepticism really a bad thing? Instead of trying to sideline the naysayers, find ways to embrace them because skeptics may just be your most important tool.

WHY IT MATTERS

It can be tempting to cast skeptics aside, but it’s worth noting that not all critics are created equal. While some people may come across as oppositional, it may be that their own talents motivate them (skepticism is a key theme within the Clifton Strengths of Analytical, Learner, and Intellection). “Squeaky wheels” can prevent teams from falling prey to groupthink, rushing to conclusions, or relying too heavily on assumptions. We’re hardwired as humans to stay in line with the herd–which is why we should embrace employees that are willing to take the social risk of breaking away from consensus to point out potential sticking points.

ONE THING YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW

Create balanced conditions for skeptics to flourish.

THOUGHTS

It’s important to give skeptics on your team a way to lean in, but be aware that too many skeptics can create a tidal wave of negativity, a phenomenon known as mood contagion. To create balance:
  • Set standards and reasonable structures for sharing constructive feedback. Encourage the more vocal naysayers to come to meetings with thoughts on alternative solutions, not just critiques.
  • Designate a devil’s advocate for the day. Pick one chair in the conference room to be the naysayer chair. Each meeting, a new person gets a turn to challenge assumptions and ask the “What If” questions.
  • Encourage your team to take the Clifton StrengthsFinder test. Talking openly about your talents and personality traits to promote candor.

BEEF UP YOUR BALONEY DETECTION

From Caroline Odom

TL;DR

Even the best of us have blind spots. Inviting outside critique can help us fill gaps in our vision, and put on a better show in the process.

WHY IT MATTERS

What do a magician and an astronomer have in common? A healthy love of skepticism, it turns out. In 1976, The Amazing Randi joined Carl Sagan and others to form the Committee for Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal. That same decade, Sagan published his “baloney detection kit:” a fundamental checklist designed to filter facts from fallacy. Whether poking holes in a scientific experiment or a disappearing act, skeptics serve an important function. Recent brand gaffes (like CNN+) are a good reminder that while we should follow Sagan’s advice and be skeptical of our own ideas, sometimes it takes a critical outside eye to detect our own baloney.

ONE THING YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW

Isolate a good-faith skeptic and unpack one key takeaway to add to your baloney detection kit.

STARTER TIPS FOR YOUR KIT

  • Seek independent confirmation. Find an unbiased, reputable source that validates your thinking.
  • Encourage an open debate. Seek out a second (or third) opinion, preferably one from a different perspective than your own.
  • Don't get too attached to your own ideas. Ask yourself, would I like this idea if it came from someone else?

USE (VALID) CONSTRAINTS TO YOUR ADVANTAGE

From Lindsey Marshall

TL;DR

When you’re excited to move an idea forward, a skeptic can feel like a huge nuisance. But when you embrace constraint as a way to make ideas better, it’s possible to collaborate toward a stronger final product.

WHY IT MATTERS

The journey from ideation to execution can be long and arduous, but if we embrace the feedback process from the get-go, it can make it easier to face the inevitable skeptics. Sometimes this leads to additional constraints, and even though this might feel like a straightjacket, it doesn’t have to spell doom. Quite the opposite: constraints provide focus for a creative challenge that can motivate people to connect information from different sources to generate novel ideas.


ONE THING YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW

Work with skeptics to flip constraints from roadblock to opportunity.

TIPS FOR GETTING STARTED

  • Challenge yourself to pause. Think about whether or not you’re prematurely dismissing a potential constraint as impossible or not worthy of your time. Is it something you could work with instead of trying to eliminate or dismiss?
  • Make positivity central. While skeptics can reveal important considerations, it’s critical to make sure the process is constructive and moving forward, not swirling into negativity. Leaders can model positive behavior and set positivity as a team norm to encourage productive collaboration

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