We have all worked in environments where we observe, work for, or work with “Yes Men” or “Yes Women.” Being a “Yes Man” is not a good thing; as a matter of fact, having nothing but a bunch of “Yes Men” around is the opposite of true leadership.
True leaders want people around them that will challenge them, speak the truth, and just be themselves. True leaders will never substitute a candid environment for the lack of excellence. Instead, they expect the people around them to be open and honest, perform at a high-level, and grow to become a next-level leader.
The sad thing about “Yes Men” is that most of them don’t go into an organization as “Yes Men.” Often times, a weak, insecure, micro-management, dictatorship, brown-nosing type environment can turn gifted leaders into gifted “Yes Men.”
True leaders create environments where genuine dialogue can occur, and that’s when some of the most innovative ideas will surface. True leaders create environments where other true leaders can flourish. True Leaders Don’t Want “Yes Men.” Instead, they would prefer to have people around them that will keep it real and tell them the truth even at the risk of losing their job.
True leadership is not about denigrating and dictating; it’s about delegating, conversating, and celebrating.
