5 Signs You Are Surrounded By “Yes” People
You never have trouble getting your way. If there is no one in your life who will stand up and tell you “no,” then it’s likely that everyone around you is too afraid of offending you to give their honest opinion.
In life, and in business, it’s easy to get caught up in the thrill of being in charge. Who doesn’t like having a little power? But when you’re always getting your own way, it might be time to check yourself.
You never have trouble getting your way. If there is no one in your life who will stand up and tell you “no,” then it’s likely that everyone around you is too afraid of offending you to give their honest opinion. This can be dangerous — what good is it to have a team full of people who won’t tell you the truth? Sure, they might seem like they’re helping things run smoothly, but if everyone is afraid of being honest with you, then how will you know where your business really stands? You’ll be operating blindly, and that can lead to disaster.
Here are five signs that you’re definitely being supported by a team of yes people:
- You’re pretty sure everyone agrees with you all the time.
- You’ve never lost an argument.
- When you say something is black, everyone agrees that it is.
- When someone says they have a great idea, you say they don’t and they agree with you.
- When people disagree with you, they immediately apologize and change their minds.
When you’re working on a team, it’s important to have good communication. However, there are times when communication can be more of an obstacle than a help. This is particularly true if you have a lot of “yes” people around you, rather than people who will give you honest feedback and speak openly with you about their concerns.
If there’s one thing in life that’s worse than having no friends, it has to be having a group of so-called “friends” who are always telling you what they think you want to hear. We’re talking about the kind of people who will agree with everything you say, even if they think you’re wrong. They’re constantly saying “yes” to your ideas and requests, and never questioning your decisions.
The solution?
Create a culture where honesty is encouraged. That way, when someone does have something negative to say about your plans or approach, they’ll feel comfortable telling you instead of trying to hide it from you.
I see a lot of people in leadership positions who don’t know how to be kind while still making their expectations clear to their team. They think they have to be harsh and use fear tactics in order to command the attention and respect of the people around them — and that’s just not true.
If someone on your team is scared of you, they won’t be honest with you. And that can lead to problems for everyone. You’ll think you’re operating at 100 percent when really you’re only at 50 percent. And then what happens? You’ll be underprepared for any big challenges, and your customers will suffer because of it.
The people on your team are there for a reason: they care about the work they do and want the best for your business. But if they’re too afraid of offending you to speak up when something is not working, then what good are they doing?
Be kind but firm with the people around you, and make sure that everyone knows that honesty is the best policy in your office.
If no one has ever said “no” to you before, then start by asking them yourself: “Hey guys — how are we doing?” Be sure to ask for their honest opinion, and don’t punish them for giving it to you. They’ll be more likely to speak honestly when they feel safe giving their real opinion.
You don’t need yes-men around you — you need people willing to tell it like it is. If you don’t have someone like that, then consider hiring one or training your existing team to be more honest. This can help set the tone for a positive work environment where people feel safe and supported enough to tell the truth.
The best leaders in the world know that it’s important to surround themselves with people who will give them honest feedback, even when it hurts a little. That way, they’re never operating in a bubble, they’re never blindsided by bad news, and they always have accurate information about where their company stands.
You might be thinking: “I’m too busy to listen to my team gripe about all the things I’m doing wrong! Who has time for that?”
But here’s the thing: if your team is too afraid to come to you with bad news or concerns about the way things are going, it won’t be long before your whole company starts to crumble from the inside out — and all because everyone was too nervous to tell you where you were falling short
Imagine this: You’ve just had a meeting with your staff. It’s the first time you’ve gotten together since they completed a big project, and you want to make sure they’ll feel comfortable sharing their thoughts on it — their successes, their failures, the things they would do differently next time. So you open the floor for comments, and one by one, your employees give you glowing feedback. They loved working on this project! Everything went perfectly! They’re super excited for their next assignment!
Oh man… are you in trouble.
Unfortunately, that kind of scenario plays out far more often than it should (not necessarily because your employees hate you; sometimes they just don’t realize that you need to hear about what didn’t work — not just what did).
If you’re a leader, there’s no way to grow if you don’t hear what your team is thinking.
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