Exit the Echo Chamber
As long as we keep asking for opinions from the people who already agree with us, we’ll continue living (safely, and “right”) in an echo chamber of our own creation. We shouldn’t want everyone to agree with us — honest, respectful and productive conversations are essential for growth — be it as an individual or as a community.
The very concept of Leadership, demands that we listen — not just to those who agree with us, but also to those who see a different story than the one we have painted and therefore believe — through our familiar lens.
We can’t grow without listening to another perspective.
But, if we don’t really want another person’s perspective, what’s the point of asking a question in the first place? Why have a public forum?
It might surprise us to discover that those with different opinions simply want their voices to be included, and once we’ve listened to all perspectives we can begin to make progress.
Begin by asking for feedback, and continue this process until it’s no longer uncomfortable to listen to a different opinion. It might take a while to get to the kind of openness that we seek, but it is possible — and essential.
