dr rebel: the rebel in my team keeps giving me unsolicited advice and it drives me nuts. please, help me!
we all have been there. you are presenting your idea or solution, and then you are (again!) bombarded with suggestions about things you didn’t ask about, or someone frequently points out flaws before fully understanding your plans. getting advice out of the blue can be pretty annoying or even make you feel insecure.
there are two perspectives on this topic: the managers’ and the rebels’.
it’s tempting to get into defence mode, and the worst thing you can do is to respond with “thanks, i’ll consider it” and then do nothing. many people have already mentally checked out at work, so be happy and appreciate that someone thinks with you; it’s a sign of commitment and engagement. and let’s be honest, what is the real reason for your annoyance?
open up, trust the rebel, and bring them on board as early as possible. they help you improve your idea or solution, and collaborating with the rebel will also boost your relationship. they become an ambassador for your plans, making the implementation easier.
remember, rebels can move mountains for you, but if you don’t treat them respectfully, they will leave, burn out, or worse, turn against you and use all their talents to make your life a pain.
the choice is yours!
for your inspiration: rebels can be quite quirky. wanna better understand them? then read this dr rebel’s reflection: what makes a rebel?
do you have a burning question for dr rebel?