Avoid the GroupThink Trap: The Second Opinion
Here’s a topic which seems commonplace— yet it doesn’t happen as much as it should. And then when it does happen, it can go sideways or not get the intended results. You’re working on a presentation. Or a big data analysis study. Or building an architecture for software. You confer with your team. Everyone tells you how amazing you are. Or conversely people tell you you’re doing it all wrong. What do you do? Do you take the accolades and keep going? Do you reject the criticism outright or possibly change direction based on that advice? I have learned the value of getting a second opinion. It has unlocked otherwise misunderstood blindspots and elevated my work.
We often are doing it wrong. But who you ask, how you ask, and how you listen will make or break your ability to learn and improve. I once asked someone on my team to run a change we’re were going to make by people to get their feedback. She approached as an exercise to get air cover, so went to friendly people at the last minute to rubber stamp our new process. We launched the change. And the blowback was real. My teammate was defensive that people were upset. She checked the box on getting a second opinion. But we learned a valuable lesson. The second opinion is only as good as your ability to find an honest, balanced person and open yourself to the insights shared.
Focus on context. Before you even figure out who to ask for advice, try to think about the big picture. Weigh the pros and cons of your approach. One analogy is the zoom lens of a camera. Zooming out to a wide angle, you might notice broader themes or influences. Conversely, you might need to focus and zoom in. Years ago I worked on a study to find out what the top 10 challenges were for teams serving clients. My fellow researchers and I felt we very clearly understood the data we collected. But there were small signals in the feedback that we were were missing something. We were looking very broadly at trends, and had some product areas which caused much debate in our ranks. We knew we needed an expert to help us dig into certain challenges raised. It was important for us to think about the context before finding the right expert to confer with.
Make it happen. Well duh, the key to getting this right is connecting with the right person. But too often I hear reasons why it didn’t happen. They were too busy. They are too senior. They will slow us down. They will judge us for not being experts like them. Recently I had to give a presentation on a topic I was excited to dig into. I decided to run the presentation by my team before the session and have them weigh in and give me suggestions. I didn’t schedule a separate session, I built it into our meeting agenda so it was easy for them to listen and engage right there. The feedback was extremely constructive and helpful and gave me ways to improve that I really needed. Be clear about your ask. Make it easy for them to help. Convey back the impact of their advice
Be vulnerable. Okay. Hear me out here. I’m not suggesting you walk around a nervous wreck. I’m saying be open and humble about the fact that you may not have all the answers. People sharing advice want and need to know that you are able to hear and appreciate their suggestions. Even if you ultimately land in another direction. Walk into it not feeling the need to defend your work, but to help them understand your goals and thinking so that they can help you. Years ago I was struggling with a decision about a job offer, and tons of people were lobbying that I take it. I was honestly stuck in limbo. I decided to ask an outside person not at all close to the situation his advice. I laid out what I saw. I explained people’s advice. I tried to frame the context. Then I ended with my concerns and uncertainty. I got incredibly helpful advice on how to think about and approach this opportunity, and it was wholly different from what I had been given. Vulnerability opened the door to a more meaningful and insightful dialogue.
