In assessment situations I’m involved in (assessment centers, self-inventory assessment tools, in-person 360s), leaders who are seen as very skeptical tend to be viewed as less effective than others who do not display argumentative behaviors. Typically these executives seem cynical, distrustful, critical, doubting others’ true intentions, and prone to fault-finding.
In light of global economic upheavals, perhaps some of the above is needed in all of us. The good news is, it exists in our emerging talent.
For executives, these events should encourage them to change their ways. In the first instance, leaders will need to analyze their own actions and motivations more closely, hopefully leading to better decision-making under risky conditions.
Senior executives will also need to identify the external factors - yielding to stakeholder pressure, adopting a herd mentality etc. - that previously informed their poor decisions, making them more objective in the future.
B-schools will need to re-emphasize the importance of scepticism in their teaching. The academic mission of a business school is to be critical, to forcibly question the generally accepted rules, maybe they have forgotten that role in the last five to 10 years.
Companies will want to harness the energy, enthusiasm, “can do” attitude of their emerging leaders (Millennials, GenY, netGen, etc). Not encumbered by the attitudes and values of the past, this emerging talent is making the extra effort to challenge old policies and procedures and push their organizations into a workplace of the future, a strategic advantage if you ask me, let their voices be heard a bit more.