In business, having determination and vision is undoubtedly important. When establishing a company, you’ll need a certain level of single-mindedness in order to succeed; or at the very least, a highly goal-focused attitude. You’ll have identified the desired outcome and most importantly, the ways in which you can achieve it.
However, it’s easy to confuse assertiveness, ambition and determination with stubbornness. Sometimes, important business decisions can become less about making a positive difference to the company, and more about simply making a point. And this can spell bad news for the future success of your company.
What’s the Difference?
We all know of people who like to be right. They’re the type of individuals who enjoy winning an argument or coming out on top on a heated discussion. These people are often easy to identify in business. They’re passionate about certain beliefs, and often forceful in convincing others to follow their ideas and suggestions.
Whilst it’s important to be passionate in business, it’s vital to understand the difference between passion and narrow-mindedness. Our beliefs are important to us, but it’s equally important to recognise that not everyone may hold the same beliefs. It’s also just as vital to acknowledge that, simply because you believe something to be true, doesn’t necessarily make it so.
Embracing the Points of Views of Others
It is good to actively encourage the points of views of others. This may include colleagues, or other business experts, such as advisors or mentors. Of course, listening to their opinion doesn’t automatically mean you’ll agree with them, but being open to their suggestions may provide you with insight into how to move your business forward, in a way you hadn’t considered previously.
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The Benefits of Listening to the Opinions of Others
Fresh Ideas
Other people may see a certain business situation in an entirely different way to you, and may have some very different ideas on how to approach it. Whilst some of these ideas may not good, others may help you to come up with fresh ideas, or even give you a great idea.
Seeing the Bigger Picture
When faced with a business decision, its easy to get bogged down with the details. Actively seeking out the opinions of others enables you to broaden your view of the situation in its entirety.
Avoiding Mistakes
In the world of business, mistakes are inevitable and at times, can be costly. As people, we’re naturally fallible and prone to mistakes. The qualified opinion of another may help to alert you to errors in your own judgement, which in turn, could benefit the company as a whole. Remember, it’s about the success of the business as a whole, not our ego.
Start Making the Difference
Listening to others is actually surprisingly difficult, especially if you’re used to acting on your own initiative. However, there’s a lot of benefit to doing so. As the old adage goes, ‘two heads are better than one’. In business, it’s often more a case of ‘as many heads as you can get’, providing the heads are good ones!
It’s not a matter of being right all the time. It’s about exploring ways in which you can take your business further – and sometimes, that’s a tough thing to achieve on your own.
