Show Notes:

Asking for input means nothing if the answer is already decided. “If you’re having these meetings, we’ve already made the decision, everybody feels like it’s a formality. Then you’re never going to get true innovation out of your team.”

Dismissiveness doesn’t just kill feedback, it kills buy-in. “If I’m dismissive of them and I’m like, okay, here’s what we’re doing anyway, and I didn’t want to even hear you out, then guess what’s going to happen later? Regardless of whether it’s the right or wrong decision, they’re going to resent you, and they’re not going to be fully bought in.”

Strong leaders change their minds when the facts change. “The way to be a really great leader is to have strong opinions loosely held.”

If your team has data, you’d better be willing to look at it. “If you have data that supports the way you feel, then we’re going to change our perspective because we’re going to go with what the data tells us, even if what we used to doing used to work.”

Innovation dies when leaders treat discussion like theater. “As long as everything rests and relies on you, then they’re going to shut off their brain, and they’re not going to burn calories, and they’re just going to do whatever it is you tell them to do.”