We had a discussion today at work about a strategic decision facing the business. We were debating the merits of a couple opportunities ahead of us trying to decide which one we want to tackle. I have been thinking about these opportunities for some time and felt like I had a solid argument for why one decision was the right one as well as why the other option should be shelved for the time being. We had a fruitful debate at lunch, but I afterward was pulled aside and reminded that while I had done a good job of articulating my views I also left one glaring hole in my argument, I had neglected to explain the potential pitfalls of the option I favored. I felt like an idiot.
Not only is tearing down your own ideas a healthy and essential part of successful decision making it also instills confidence in those around you. Our natural tendency is to argue in favor of what we support while poking holes in what we oppose. In order to really grasp the issue at hand and instill confidence in your team that you have thought more deeply about a topic than anyone else, you need to be able to do the opposite as well. That means taking the time to both understand the strengths of someone else’s argument as well as the weaknesses in your own. You'll know you've done this when you can more clearly articulate your opponents argument better than they can.