It’s a fact. I like to be right. And so do you.
But sometimes we’re right and we end up forcing our view on others – literally becoming our own block to achieving the very thing we wanted to accomplish.
For example, your new initiative at work may be exactly right – the right solution for the right problem at the right time. Yet, as you explain how right you are, well, righteously, you may realize that you have no allies; not one person you can rely upon to support your idea. You may realize that all the while you’ve been right, others have been more successful with their initiative, because they focused their “rightness” in the context of how they get “buy-in” from others: colleagues as well as superiors. This building of connections in the context of what’s right helps others get behind your “right” idea.
So, what does being right get you? It doesn’t get you much if being right isn’t coupled with sincere effort, persuasive communication, and an ability to help others see how your “right” idea benefits them. This is particularly true in situations where you rely on others (people, departments or organizations) to assist you in accomplishing initiatives.
If the flourishing of every great idea you have relies only upon YOUR being RIGHT – you better start hoping that no one else is ever right.
Let go of being right and focus on doing the right thing in a spirit of cooperation, coordination or collaboration. Do this in appropriate balance and others will take care of pointing out how “right” YOU are. I guarantee it!