Leadership is about making the tough decision even when all the planes are in the air. Sometimes you have to have the nerve to say, “Come on back.” ~Samuel Bacharach
It’s election season! I know, what a surprise. Whenever election season rolls around it amuses me how candidates will ridicule their opponent for waffling or changing their mind. Making statements like, “In 2007 so and so voted against ‘x’ and now they are saying they are for ‘x.’ They’re waffling; they can’t be trusted.” If that statement were really true, then that means political candidates have all the information needed to make every decision and no new information ever comes to light after a decision has been made. In other words, this assumption does not take into account that little thing called reality.
The same could be said about leaders in general. They make a statement one day holding a particular position. Then at some point in the future they make another statement that seems to contradict their initial position. As Samuel Bacharach said, “sometimes leaders have to have the nerve to say, ‘come on back.'” In other words, change their mind.
When we change our mind how do we know if we are waffling or evolving? Here are three questions that might help determine the answer.
- Can you explain, explicitly, how your perspective has evolved and why?
You may now have access to information that you didn’t have before. The information or data may have changed. You may now see the information from a different perspective; your paradigm has shifted. The most important part is, can you clearly and convincingly articulate how and why you have evolved.
- Is your change in position opportunistic or principled?
Another way to ask this question might be, is the change you’re suggesting based on your values or on convenience? Opportunism can come across as self-centered, not taking into account the broader constituency whether that be employees or another group. Principled, however, comes across as being focused on the greater good because you’re making the change from a position of closely held values.
- Is the outcome the same, but the means or method to achieve the outcome has changed?
If the outcome clearly remains intact and you’ve changed the method or tactic to achieve that outcome, your credibility may be spared. However, if you’ve changed the outcome, you will have a much more difficult time convincing others that you’re not waffling.
These are three basic questions to test your leadership effectiveness when changing your mind.
Samuel Bacharach also said, “The ability to change your mind is an essential quality of leadership. Done well, the change of course looks like a moment of courage. Done badly, the change of course looks like pure opportunism or lack of conviction.”