We see many examples today of leaders who can’t see the reality around them.
One characteristic of these leaders is that they tend to surround themselves with people who either agree with everything they do or say, or are to scared to offer a contrary view.
The trap then is that confirmational bias risks taking you deeper into problems and messes because you don’t get exposed to alternate views and ideas. You risk not being able to see reality, and making matters worse.
So, you should not surround yourself with “yes-people”
And, a “no-person” who is just a no-person is also a no-no!
You need constructive no-people….
“I do not wish to hire yes-men. Yes-men come cheap . . .what we are looking for is what I call constructive no-men. My own personal rule for very many years has been that anybody is free to criticise me, to criticise the company, to question or argue against anything that we are trying to do – provided they will satisfy the one criterion that they will tell us what I or the company should do differently.”;
Source: Harvey-Jones J (1988) Making it happen. Fontana, London. P.89
And remember that recruiting is perhaps the most important task you will undertake if your business is to be successful!