Earn the Trust of Others

Leaders are sincerely open-minded, genuinely listen, and examine their own strongest convictions with humility. They value diversity in all its forms because different viewpoints result in novel ideas.

Porridge Beta

Back to the universal principles

Calibration

Under, just right, over.

SituationUnderJust RightOver
Someone disagrees with your planWaits them out and restates the plan. They can tell they were not heard.Listens all the way through, and changes the plan when they are right.Agrees so the meeting stays pleasant, and the decision is mush.
A fact challenges a strong viewDefends the view because it is theirs. The fact sits unused.Examines the conviction. Keeps it only if it still holds after the fact.Drops a sound view at the first challenge so they look open-minded.
A room that already agreesTreats the agreement as proof. Nobody goes looking for a missing view.Asks for a viewpoint the room does not already have, and uses it if it changes the work.Collects extra views as a ritual and never lets them change the decision.
An idea from outside the usual groupDismisses it because of who brought it. The idea is never tested.Hears the idea on its merits. Keeps the part that is new and useful.Adopts it because it is different, without checking whether it is better.
You still have to decideCloses the question before the other views have been heard.Stays open long enough to learn, then takes a position people can follow.Stays open so long that nobody can tell what they believe.
News that contradicts youPushes back on the messenger. The next hard fact arrives late.Makes it safe to bring the fact, checks it, and changes course if it holds.Treats the first contrary account as settled, and an unchecked claim becomes the plan.
A conviction held for yearsWill not reopen it. Newer people stop bringing evidence.Reopens it when the evidence is real, with enough humility to be wrong in public.Reopens every old call so often that the team cannot rely on a decision.
One background in the discussionAsks only the people who already see the problem the same way.Brings in a different viewpoint, because that friction is where a novel idea shows up.Invites every viewpoint and will not rank them, so the discussion never becomes a decision.

Further reading

Sources and essays on this principle.

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