Your Ideas and Your Reputation

A look at what to consider and say when your ideas don't prove correct

Malcolm Gladwell

We know that we’re not always going to get it right. Too often, however, we forget that truism when it comes to being able to talk about our ideas not working.

We end up not showing others (and ourselves) the ability and willingness, in a professional context, to express that what we were confident would work, what we said would succeed, hasn’t — and maybe, still won’t work.

That shouldn’t be so hard to do yet it can be that way for many of us. It’s a point that author Malcolm Gladwell wanted to discuss recently in an interview on LinkedIn.

“Admitting that your ideas were wrong and that you've learned something different,” he said, “is something that strengthens you in the eyes of others.

“That's a very useful practice.”

Notice that Gladwell focuses on the shortcomings of the ideas, not the person. That’s an important distinction to keep in mind.