Stop Hiring Yes-People: Seek Status Quo Breakers Instead

Comfort became paramount during the pandemic, including surrounding ourselves with people who could validate our decisions. But could these yes-people represent a one-way ticket to irrelevance? Here’s why surrounding yourself with differing voices and opinions is good for you — and for business.

We started hearing it when we were kids: “No.” This dreaded word shut down our finest aspirations, like trying to sled in a grumpy neighbor’s yard or eating a whole bag of candy in one sitting. Now, we’re adults and leading our businesses. Is it any wonder that we like to hire people who validate our choices with eager “yes” responses?

Contrary to how good it feels, there are considerable risks in surrounding ourselves with people who give perennially positive answers; we’re not as smart as we’d like to think. Certainly, we’re smart enough to be CEOs, founders, dreamers, and innovators, but we don’t — and can’t — know everything. By removing contrary voices around us, we remove different perspectives that may offer faster growth, learning, and productivity. Missing out on these voices can devastate our long-term personal and business development.

Now, I’m not suggesting that you hire your parents to come critique and “no” all of your wildest ideas. (Unless you want to bring them onto the payroll, of course.) However, I firmly believe you need colleagues who will challenge and push you outside your comfort zone to lead with authority and confidence. Otherwise, you could be sidelined by a changing market you’re not tuned into or a concept that wouldn’t emerge from your wheelhouse.

To start building a cadre of open and opinionated employees, you may have to change your hiring, promotion, and general management processes. The following are my recommendations to help you break the “yes-people” cycle.

1. Switch up the way you engage with direct reports and peers.

Most people naturally gravitate toward others who think as they do; the downside to this behavior is that you end up assuming that everyone agrees with your every whim. The only way to put an end to this assumption is to intentionally ask others to challenge what you say. Make it clear that you’re not looking for agreement, only honesty. Communicate the “why” for your team, and explain that you want to hear all sides of an issue before making a big decision.

This can feel tricky or uncomfortable at first, but it’s doable if you follow the advice of Gloria St. Martin-Lowry, president of HPWP Group, a consultancy aimed at helping organizations fuel their own growth and improvement by confronting their challenges in an approachable, diplomatic way. She suggests reframing how you look at people you’ve brought on board.

“Lead with positive assumptions and belief in people,” says St. Martin-Lowry. “You hired them for a reason — because they can contribute positively to the business. When you believe in people, it should be easy to believe their motives are good and they care. When you believe people have good motives, it’s easier to hear different ideas. You can create an environment where people speak up more freely.”

Changing how you engage with employees and peers doesn’t happen overnight, so be patient. Your coworkers may initially hesitate to contribute their true thoughts to a discussion. In time — and with your obvious willingness to listen without assuming harmful intent on their part — you’ll begin to make inroads.

2. Add “status quo breakers” to your managerial teams.

Whether your company is small, mid-sized, or enterprise-level, you likely have a layering management system in place. From now on, make sure you pepper your leadership roster with individuals who aren’t fearful about speaking up to more experienced peers.

This includes avoiding the tendency to only consider so-called “passive candidates” who look good on paper but may just be yes-people who have learned to play the game. “We typically tend to focus more on technical skills or knowledge required for a role. It’s important to also look at attributes that are an inherent part of a person,” says St. Martin-Lowry.

How can you pinpoint these “status quo breakers?” When interviewing for jobs or promotional opportunities, you may want to ask pressing questions. For example, you could be very blunt: “Tell me about a time you challenged what was happening at your organization. What did you do, how did people react, and what was the outcome?” Then, sit back and listen to the details.

Ideally, you’re looking for people who aren’t necessarily cocky or difficult for difficulty’s sake but can still speak their minds to authority. You’re looking for high performers who possess the integrity and confidence to bring up alternative views with the goal of bettering their organization. True “status quo breakers” want to share their truth without tearing you down; they’re protective, loyal, and forward-thinking in the hopes of helping you choose the best possible path forward.

3. Acknowledge others’ contributions no matter what you decide.

Perhaps one of the most challenging aspects of moving away from “yes” folks is that you’re still going to go with your first instincts sometimes. That is, you’ll find yourself taking in many differing perspectives — and still end up going with your original plan. This is reasonable, but it needs to be handled so it doesn’t shut down future dialogue or dissenting voices.

When moving forward with your original plan after getting alternative input from others, make sure you thank those that spoke up. Let them know that you appreciate their creativity and insights. You don’t have to justify your choices, but you might want to outline why you circled back to your initial plan.

By acknowledging your gratitude in a sincere, friendly way, you show that varied perspectives are always welcome, even when the plan goes elsewhere. That goes a long way toward showing respect, which is critical given that 57% of people who quit jobs in 2021 cited “disrespect” as the main reason. You also set the tone for the rest of your leaders to follow suit when working through tough choices with their direct reports, acting as a role model for your entire company.

Making “no yes-people” your mantra isn’t going to happen overnight, but it’s still worth the effort. With these steps, you’ll have more robust conversations and healthy debates, which will lead to the innovation necessary to power up your company’s competitiveness and scalability while fostering more satisfaction and trust. Don’t miss out on great ideas; encourage them instead.

Written by Rhett Power.

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