We’ve all had experience with some version of the proverbial “yes man.” That one person who, no matter what is happening, sits there nodding along with the leader. They agree with everything, avoid conflict, and usually tell the person in charge exactly what they think that person wants to hear. This probably should have been included in the last entry about culture killers because, aside from undermining, yes men are near the top of the list of people who can help tank a culture. They may seem loyal, but blind agreement suffocates ideas and eventually destroys trust. Don’t get me wrong, there is a time to nod, accept the decision, and carry out the assignment. There is also a time to offer professional pushback. As I mentioned in “Leading from Below,” that pushback can be a powerful force when it comes from the right place. It requires courage, knowledge of the subject, good timing, and enough awareness to know the difference between helping the mission and challenging authority just to be heard.
Balancing loyalty and pushback means supporting decisions that move the team toward the vision while being willing to respectfully question decisions that might pull it away. Two words that can usually box you in are “everything” and “always,” but I’m going to say it anyway: Everything is always about the vision. When everyone understands the target, there is room for healthy disagreement about how to reach it. That discussion can produce better ideas, reveal something leadership missed, or show that the original plan is still the best option. Either way, people need space to communicate openly. If the vision is to win the championship, support the calls that move the team toward it. If you see something that may prevent that, say something while there is still time to adjust.
This is also why knowing your role matters. Your value doesn’t come from agreeing with the leader. It comes from knowing your area well enough to give the leader information they may not have. Ask yourself, “What can I do today to make a positive impact on the vision?” Then study your work, pay attention, and be prepared when an opportunity to contribute appears. A leader usually doesn’t come to you for the pleasure of being told they’re right. They come to you because you are closer to something they need to understand. They need your experience, perspective, and honest assessment—not a bobblehead repeating their own opinion back to them.
From a leadership standpoint, surrounding yourself with yes men can blind you to the field. Every person on the team should have eyes on the game from within their assignment. The person in purchasing sees something different from the person in quality. The production lead sees things the executive can’t see from the office. The engineer understands details the salesperson may not know. Leadership is supposed to gather those perspectives and use them to make the best possible decision. If everyone is reaching for the answer they think the boss wants, the leader isn’t receiving information. They’re hearing an echo.
Pushback can go wrong too. Challenging every decision doesn’t make someone courageous or independent. Sometimes it just makes them exhausting. Pushback without knowledge, tact, or a possible solution can fracture trust quickly. Timing matters, and so do the setting and the relationship. I don’t recommend publicly challenging the boss in front of the entire company unless the situation is serious enough that it truly cannot wait. Most of the time, there is a better way. Pull the leader aside and say, “I have a few thoughts I’d like to add to this project.” Be thoughtful, know the subject, and prepare for the questions they’re likely to ask. Bring information, not just emotion. Explain how your idea supports the vision instead of presenting it as proof that the original idea was stupid.
Leaders are responsible for creating an environment where this kind of honest dialogue is possible. People don’t need to agree 100 percent of the time, but they do need to be looking at the same field and aiming at the same target. If employees are afraid to question a decision, the organization will eventually stop hearing the truth. The people closest to a problem will keep quiet, the decision will move forward, and everyone will pretend to be surprised when it fails. Then leadership may ask, “Why didn’t anyone say something?” Usually, the answer is found in what happened the last time someone tried.
Over the years, I’ve asked players what they thought about a scheme or potential call. These are usually 16-, 17-, or 18-year-old kids, and I enjoy when they see something differently. If the idea makes sense, I’ll often let them run with it. Part of that is giving them ownership. Part of it is making the game more enjoyable. Part of it is accepting that they are on the field and may see or feel something I don’t. Sometimes their call works, sometimes mine would have been better, but either way, we learn. The same opportunity exists in business. Give people room to make calls that may be different from yours, even if the purpose is partly development. They learn how to think through decisions, you learn more about how they see the work, and the entire team becomes stronger.
Culture is always the priority, so when someone offers professional pushback, the leader needs to be aware that the rest of the team is watching. Set your ego aside and give the idea real consideration before responding. I try not to shut down an idea, especially in front of a group. That doesn’t mean every suggestion gets approved. It means the person offering it is treated with enough respect to know the idea was heard. A leader who mocks, dismisses, or becomes defensive teaches everyone else to remain silent. A closed-minded leader doesn’t eliminate disagreement. They simply push it into hallways, private messages, and conversations held after the meeting.
For team members and subordinate leaders, know when to agree and carry out the assignment, and know when something needs to be questioned because it is unclear or appears disconnected from the vision. Be genuine. Bring useful information. Keep the team’s success in mind, and respect the relationship you have with the leader. Once you have shared your view and leadership has made the final decision, there may come a point when you need to set your position aside and execute. Professional pushback does not mean refusing to move unless everyone agrees with you.
Don’t be surprised if thoughtful pushback actually raises your value in the eyes of a strong leader. It shows that you’re paying attention. It shows that you care enough about the mission to risk an uncomfortable conversation and that you have enough respect for the leader to be honest. Courage and care are two important ingredients in a high-level culture. Loyalty isn’t agreeing with everything. Sometimes loyalty is being willing to say, respectfully and with the right information, “I think we need to look at this again.”