Replacing Defensiveness with Openness: The Leadership Challenge
Defensiveness might be the most expensive behavior in organizational life. It blocks learning, stifles innovation, damages relationships, and preserves problems rather than solving them. Yet it's so common it often goes unnoticed, part of the organizational water we swim in.
As leaders, our defensiveness shapes organizational culture more than we realize. When we respond to feedback with justification, to questions with certainty, to challenges with authority, we create environments where protection becomes more important than possibility.
What if instead, we consciously cultivated openness? This doesn't mean abandoning discernment or accepting every idea uncritically. Rather, it means approaching situations with genuine curiosity instead of predetermined positions.
Consider these shifts:
From defending ideas to exploring alternatives "What might we be missing here?" instead of "Here's why this is right."
From protecting reputation to pursuing growth "What can I learn from this situation?" instead of "How can I make sure I look good?"
From controlling outcomes to enabling emergence "What wants to happen here?" instead of "How do I make this go my way?"
The paradox is that openness requires both confidence and humility, confidence in our capacity to learn and adapt, humility in recognizing the limits of our current understanding.
This shift doesn't happen overnight. Defensiveness is often deeply ingrained, an automatic response rather than a conscious choice. The journey begins with awareness, noticing when we're becoming defensive and choosing a different response, even if only for a moment.
As leaders, we can create conditions that support this shift:
Modeling openness by publicly acknowledging our own learning and mistakes
Rewarding thoughtful experimentation even when it doesn't succeed
Creating psychological safety where people can speak truth without fear
Asking questions that invite exploration rather than justification
When defensiveness gives way to openness, organizations develop remarkable capacities for adaptation, innovation, and collective intelligence. The very challenges that once triggered protection become catalysts for growth.
What might change in your leadership if defensiveness became a signal to get curious rather than a call to battle?
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