Russell's Rules #5 An Opposing View Isn't Always Wrong.

Take one of your strong opinions and reverse it. What are the merits of that point of view?

We get so defensive about our opinions that we forget there may be some merit to opposing points of view. By exploring other viewpoints, you will find weaknesses in your business that you never saw before. You may also see a better way to perform by abandoning the hard-line defensiveness on your position.

Study the competition, identifying all the things they do right, and may, in fact, do better than you. Fight the impulse to look for their negatives; it's their strengths that provide us with opportunities for growth.

Growth and improvement happen because someone was given the opportunity to shoot holes in the current position on a matter. Take a good look at your strongest-held organizational opinions and find the better way.

Just Do This...

1. List your top 5 corporate opinions (We will always..., We will never ...).

2. List the merits of ignoring them.

3. Review your core values, and develop a completely different list.

4. List the lessons you learned and identified for growth potential.

5. Take action on those lessons.