Once upon a time… there was a great successful executive… who is convinced that there is no success besides his… Not that I wish to challenge it, but I was thinking we can learn a lesson from it…

I met this manager couple of months ago, and we were supposed to be dealing with an operational question, as well as with understanding of social impact of project on the long run. The conversation has started with me trying to understand the organization, the culture, the project, the needs, what they already know, what they do not know and wish to know.

…and there it went… I know EVERYTHING.  For a second I was shocked… I am not used to be in a consulting session when there is no need for consulting… So, I was trying to dig more. Isn’t it clear that everyone can learn something? even tiny? Everyone can learn something new every day… at least in my opinion…

It took me almost an hour to realize that I have just met the first manager who is 100% confident to know everything around his organization, including social impact (which, needless to say, was never measured), and every option for future development. When his assistant was trying to raise a question, he just hushed her brutally… saying “we already know it, no need to say we do not”…

I have decided to give him some homework instead of leaving him “all knowing”. I was asking him to start listen to what people do not tell him, or afraid to tell him, because they are afraid he will “know” so much, and they will stay there not knowing what to do next…

And the lesson I have learn, and wish to share with you to think about is – try to listen before you judge, try to be aware to what others feel or think before you claim to know everything around. I think it worth a try (: