Let's get this out of the way; I like to be right. There's nothing wrong with being right, as long as you're not trying to be right for the sake of
being right, with no regard for the truth. Most of the time, if I'm not sure I'm right I try to keep my mouth shut, or couch it with an "I believe".
The art of being right, if I can all it that, can be acquired in a few different ways. One, you can be right by devouring a lot of information. Two,
you can be right by doing a lot of calculations and learning some of the nuances of what it is you do. Or three, you can be right by learning how
to read people, yet being fair enough to always give them a second and third look before finally making your decision as to what they're all about.
I remember an incident some time ago, where I was questioned about some information I passed on, information that I had acquired by putting
together a bunch of numbers, then, because of a certain expertise in my field, figuring out what had affected the numbers in the way they had.
The person I passed this information on to, however, didn't believe me. He said that my information had to be faulty, and that, since it was
impacting performance, I should try to track down the real source of the issue. I then spent an entire month trying to track it down, and kept
coming back to the same conclusion.
When the next month ended, I put all the figures together again and it turned out I was right. I had deduced the pattern, had two months worth of
information that had confirmed my original belief, and knew I had him. When I had my opportunity I presented the information and backed it up
with my source material, knowing that I had everything I needed to show that I had called it right. Instead of just believing me this time around,
however, he changed the parameters, saying that I hadn't presented it in the same way the first time and that, based on what I was presenting now,
I hadn't been giving him the proper information before.
I was slightly stunned, but I had also obtained a lot of visceral information on this person over the course of the month. It seemed that this person
was one of those people who had to know it all and show it all to everyone else, even when he was totally wrong. I had sat in meetings with him
where he called people in other areas on things they said without ever offering any proof that he was in the right. The thing is, he was in a higher
leadership position than any of the other people, so they pretty much had to take it, and though they didn't like it, they'd gotten used to it. So, how
he took my new information wasn't totally shocking, but I wondered how he could so quickly discount information I'd gotten out of his facility's
computer system that he himself pulled information from and used to prove his own points to those he ultimately reported to.
Here's the thing. When you're in a leadership position, though it pays to be knowledgeable, you don't have to know it all, and you don't always have
to immediately be right. There's a lot I know about my consulting profession, but I'll admit that there are times when some of what I believe I know
is somewhat sketchy. I tell people at this times that I believe that something is correct, but that I want to verify it and get it nailed down before I'll
say I'm right, and I do that very thing. I usually print out the information, whether I'm right or wrong, and share it with people. It's not only to give
them the proper information, but it helps to build my credibility with people in that they know I'm not going to send them down the wrong path just
because I have this need to be right. Ultimately, it's about getting things correct. However, this eventually gives me credibility when I say something
and tell them that I'm positive about it, because I've already proven that I won't lead them astray just to make myself feel good.
What happens when you just have to be right, at the expense of being correct, and you're in a leadership position, is people start trying to
anticipate what you're going to say or do, and when that happens then no one is working at an optimum level. I'll admit that I've tried to
alter how I present information at times because I've tried to anticipate how the other person will reach, and finally I've learned that it doesn't
do me any good to do that. Instead, if I present valid information, the other person still might not like it, but it'll be correct, and if it's correct
then it can be properly acted upon, whether the other person likes the answers or not.
Of course, it's easier for me to do these days because I am an independent contractor, with very little emotional attachment to the job. I know
that I'm not dependent upon a yearly job evaluation that might be based on emotions rather than skill. I also know that, based on history, the
majority of people are going to thank me for the information I've given them, or for helping them to achieve tasks that they've had problems with
before I got there.
So, having said that, I know the question is how to deal with someone like this who's in a superior position to yours. In my book
Embrace The Lead, I wrote about this
personality type and said that if you report to one of these, there's actually very little you can do, but that you're not without some tools. The
first thing you do is let them talk, which they're pretty much going to do anyway. You try not to ever give them definite answers because either
way you go they probably won't just let it go, so keeping extraneous conversation to a minimum is your best option. The worst thing in the world
for you is when they take something you've said out of context; who wants to continue dealing with that time and time again? I also wrote that
people in upper management often don't really know all the details about the job you do, and I stick with that one even today. So, sometimes less
is more and will get you further, and if you can later back your knowledge up with results, that's all they'll care about in the long run.
One last thing; don't ever think about staying quiet with someone like this as being passive, or backing down. There are times you fight the battles,
and there are times to let it go and move on. I remember calling someone on something years ago and telling him that I'd make him sign something
saying he told me to do it so he'd go to jail instead of me, and he backed down because he ultimately realized I was correct. I held firm on that one
because, indeed, if I just went along with him without objecting, by law, I could have gone to jail; that's not happening. But most of the other times,
I just listened, then went about my business, since he had little idea what I did anyway.
We all need to learn how to get along with differing personality types as best we can in business. However, if you're the know-it-all here, and you
recognize yourself in some fashion, well, give me a call and let's talk about it. Maybe I can help before you hurt yourself, or someone else.