Non-believers in the workplace: dealing with office naysayers

Topic: Leadership, Confidence

You can’t win them all. That was one of the insights put forward by Jacqueline de Rojas, Citrix Systems UK’s VP & General Manager, Northern Europe, at the 2016 everywoman Forum: Advancing Women in Technology.

“I swerve and avoid difficult people,” she said. “There’s no point banging your head on a door that won’t open.”

Finding alternative routes past your non-believers is certainly one way to compensate for stakeholders who just don’t ‘get’ you. Here we look at additional strategies for dealing with those naysayers you’re obliged to work with.

RECOGNISE THE ROLE YOUR NON-BELIEVERS PLAY

Apple boss Steve Jobs famously coined the term ‘bozo explosion’ to describe what he believed happened when managers discourage team conflict. And while his Co-founder Steve Wozniak confessed to preferring a more harmonious environment, he readily admitted that the Macintosh project would have failed had he been in charge.

Just as companies need differing viewpoints if they are to excel, individuals need to be challenged if they’re to remain what Jobs called ‘A players’.

Once you’ve identified your workplace non-believers, think about the role they play in your development. Do they force you to argue your points more persuasively? Do they hold up a mirror to your weaknesses? Do they enable you to see problems in your plan before they occur? As well as drawing on the support of your allies when preparing for a big workplace event like a presentation or pitch, ask yourself: “What would my biggest critic say?”

If you’re the manager of a sceptic or cynic, their ‘devil’s advocate’ position can be utilised to great effect when your team’s ideas transition from brainstorm to implementation stage: he or she might just help you head off problems before they arise.

KEEP YOUR SUPPORTERS CLOSE, YOUR NON-SUPPORTERS CLOSER

When PricewaterhouseCoopers launched an internal programme designed to drive employee innovation throughout the organisation, the project leaders had a challenge on their hands: how to get buy-in from those who thought the initiative irrelevant, too costly and badly timed. Rather than drive the scheme forward by relying solely on the sponsorship of its staunchest advocates, they first sought to learn from their opponents, holding personal, 1-2-1 chats with finance managers, brand specialists and busy middle managers who had a vested interest in seeing the project stall. Their opinions were sought, fears alleviated and their support was requested.

If someone is simply being negative about your ideas or initiatives, you might be best side-stepping their involvement if that’s an option. But if you think there’s wiggle room, acknowledge their doubts and make a commitment to proving them wrong. Working in partnership with your non-believer towards a shared objective is another route to finding common ground, while sending a clear message to the individual and those around you that you intend to build the relationship.

WALK AROUND IN THEIR SHOES

In the classic novel To Kill A Mockingbird, lawyer Atticus Finch gives his daughter an early lesson in empathic leadership: “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view – until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”

Hillary Clinton put forward a similar sentiment when she remarked that smart foreign policy should include “empathising with one’s enemies”. It’s very easy to slip inside the shoes of those you know well and like; not so straightforward when you’re clashing heads. Yet pausing to consider the world from the viewpoint of someone who isn’t on your side can yield all the more powerful results, and is a crucial checkpoint in various business situations, such as preparing for a negotiation.

Ask yourself what values and experiences might be driving your colleague’s outlook? Does their role actually dictate they take an opposing view or is the current situation down to differing personalities? What other factors – emotional or personal, stressors or challenges – might they be wrangling with? To what and whom do they respond differently or most positively? Ask someone you trust for help if you’re unsure, or, if there are large gaps in your knowledge, consider inviting your naysayer for a coffee – a disarming move that might just change both your minds about the other.

ASK FOR SUPPORT AND IT MAY BE GIVEN

A common mistake is to expect bosses to have a sixth sense that you wanted to be given a certain opportunity, a colleague to know you expected an invite to that brainstorm, a delegate to step in and pick up your to-do list while you were elsewhere engaged. Being clear and explicit about what you want might not always yield results, but this assertive approach certainly provides a greater chance of a more positive outcome than keeping quiet, and inevitably leads to less long-term frustration on your part.

Techniques you might use include contextual assertion, whereby you declare your feelings within the context of a specific situation and define how you’d prefer things to work. Following this model, an aggressive statement like “You’re always so negative about my ideas” becomes something altogether more constructive: “In our brainstorm today, I noticed that you were critical of my idea. When you spoke that way I felt that my opinions were being dismissed and in future I’d prefer if we could discuss any reservations you have away from the group so that I have an opportunity to change your mind.”

‘Negative enquiry’ is another strategy you might deploy. If you suspect someone is simply being negative, or you just can’t see where they’re coming from, it might be tempting to fight back, arguing your case to deaf ears until you reach a stalemate. A more disarming approach, might be to question the negativity, for example: “I can see that you really don’t think this is a good idea, can you explain why in a bit more detail as I’d really like to understand.” This sends a clear message that you’ve noticed a negative reaction (this in itself might be enough to stop your non-believer in their tracks, since few want to be perceived this way at work); and through your questioning you might just hit upon a reason you hadn’t considered until now.