I was in an organization that had a tendency to emphasize personal ego and really punish deviation from the cultural group think. I was trapped in a specific way of thinking and would be judged harshly if it was perceived that I was consulting outside sources. (yes, very culty).
I ended up consulting other sources in secret which gave me the perceived ego protection that I needed. “I’m not calling myself wrong, I’m just researching the alternative point of view.”
Well that put me in a place where I was alone with challenging ideas in my head, giving me the idea that I was making an independent and well researched conclusion “on my own.”
I’d have been super defensive if anyone else tried to present me with challenging information, but because I allowed myself to believe I came to different conclusions completely on my own… the situation conspired to lower my defensiveness and see a way forward for myself.
Oh absolutely. Not from a leader in that organization, but definitely from authors and thought leaders outside the organization who really knew what they were doing in not being directly confrontational with me.
Looking back on it, the questioning style they had was very much how is described above.
We took 15 extra minutes to unpack today’s Field Notes topic in more detail:
https://x.com/admiredleaders/status/1838654666697249093?s=46
Your headline certainly resonated with me.
I was in an organization that had a tendency to emphasize personal ego and really punish deviation from the cultural group think. I was trapped in a specific way of thinking and would be judged harshly if it was perceived that I was consulting outside sources. (yes, very culty).
I ended up consulting other sources in secret which gave me the perceived ego protection that I needed. “I’m not calling myself wrong, I’m just researching the alternative point of view.”
Well that put me in a place where I was alone with challenging ideas in my head, giving me the idea that I was making an independent and well researched conclusion “on my own.”
I’d have been super defensive if anyone else tried to present me with challenging information, but because I allowed myself to believe I came to different conclusions completely on my own… the situation conspired to lower my defensiveness and see a way forward for myself.
Morning, Jennifer. Can you identify ways that these kinds of provocative questions mentioned above were posed to you?
Oh absolutely. Not from a leader in that organization, but definitely from authors and thought leaders outside the organization who really knew what they were doing in not being directly confrontational with me.
Looking back on it, the questioning style they had was very much how is described above.