An Invigorating Give-and-take

An Invigorating Give-and-Take

Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others. Proverbs 12:15

On Saturdays in the fall I meet with other members of the broadcast team to rehearse our show, Monday Night Football, for the next day and talk about possible story lines and discussion points. Our producer, Sam Flood, has great ideas for us but also seeks input from the guys. It doesn’t have to be his idea. He gets his satisfaction from producing a great show.

But what if Sam already made up his mind about what the show should contain? What if he wasn’t willing to listen to other ideas because he was resistant to change or felt threatened? Sam would miss a lot of angles and insights that his staff could provide, and he really wouldn’t even need a staff in the first place. There would be no point in surrounding himself with bright, creative people like he has. (The jury is still out on me, I’m sure.) He’d be totally on his own, which he has said he doesn’t want to be.

We need to surround ourselves with insightful, trustworthy friends and advisers. Then we need to allow them the freedom to offer whatever input is necessary to make us the best we can be. Each of us has a limited perspective shaped by our own personality, background, and biases, so we benefit from those who see things differently and who are comfortable challenging our assumptions and giving us advice. People who like being stuck in their patterns of thought or who feel threatened if someone else comes up with a good idea will have a hard time doing this, but they miss a valuable opportunity to gain insight. We make much wiser and more well-informed decisions when we seek out a variety of opinions.

Be open to receiving counsel. Surround yourself with the best people you can find and give them absolute freedom to disagree with and challenge you. Enjoy the benefit of other people’s gifts, skills, and insights. Seek their input, listen to them, decide on the right direction, and then go forward with confidence.

Uncommon Key > God created you unique for a reason. Use the differences of those around you to your advantage. Tap into the wisdom of many counselors before making a decision.