Agreement Isn't the Same as Input

Early in my career, while working at Electronic Data Systems (EDS), I was asked to participate in an interview that taught me a valuable lesson about leadership.

EDS had already hired the candidate's husband, and I suspected they were hoping to find a position for her as well.

The team I worked on consisted entirely of programmers, so I started by asking some general programming questions to gauge her experience.

Her response to nearly every question was, "I don't know."

Within about five minutes, it became clear to everyone in the room that she had no programming experience.

When I left the interview, I assumed we wouldn't offer her the position.

I later learned that she had been offered the job but had turned it down.

That surprised me. After reflecting on the experience, I came to believe something: "They weren't really looking for our opinions. They were looking for our agreement."

Over the years, I've encountered similar situations while consulting with businesses. I've been asked for advice, offered what I believed was sound guidance, and then watched the business go in a completely different direction.

Sometimes, I came away believing the decision had already been made before I was ever asked for my opinion.

I understand that leaders have the responsibility to make the final decision, and that decision may not always align with my recommendations.

But that raises an important question: "When leaders ask for input, are they genuinely interested in hearing different perspectives, or are they simply looking for agreement?"

Recently, I came across two terms that describe very different approaches to leadership.

I'll share those on Thursday and explain why I believe the distinction matters to anyone in a leadership position.