We all believe our ideas are great. We thought them after all, right? We know that’s not true.
Our ideas can often be horrid. They have to be refined, developed, and built through community, including debating whether or not they are good.
That’s how we make our ideas better.
It’s also how we can build our confidence.
Debate To Build Confidence
I was recently watching Indra Nooyi‘s MasterClass on Leading With Purpose. Nooyi is the former CEO of PepsiCo. She shared something impactful that I hadn’t thought about. It was a way to build confidence and grow your ability to share ideas.
When Indra was young, her mother would have Indra and her sister debate one another on a topic. The topics were random. They weren’t something the kids knew. Indra even admits that many times, the debates were childish.
Yet, something happened through these debates.
Indra and her sister became better debaters. They learned how to share their ideas better. They even learned how to refine their ideas.
Each debate, though childish, was a step toward clarifying a point to be argued. These debates also helped them understand how to persuade the other debater.
What happens when someone debates and is able to articulate their arguments clearly? Their confidence levels rise.
Why? Because they begin to understand the rationale, intimate details, and foundation of their arguments. Every time a debate happens, the fog dissipates. Clarity happens.
You will build confidence when you learn how to debate and debate well.
Where can you debate in your organization? Lots of places:
- When presenting a new idea to the leadership team – If there’s an objection or clarifying point, use this as a time to refute the argument. By showing you know more about the topic than you first presented, you are able to show that you have knowledge of the current topic.
- Talking to an employee – Debating an employee can be a tricky situation, yet it is powerful. You can help yourself and your team members understand the nuances of a specific project or assignment. By debating when talking to an employee, you draw out the hidden details that may not have been thought through. You help clarify what’s going to happen.
- Bargaining with a vendor—Vendors often give us a price that’s not set in stone. Many times, you can bargain, haggle, or debate the pricing of the product you’re purchasing. Be willing to debate the merits of the pricing to see if you can reduce the cost to your organization. You might be surprised at how well this works.
The more you debate, the higher your confidence level will go. You will see yourself discovering ways to clearly describe your situations, possible solutions, and what you want to see happen.
Don’t be afraid to debate. You’re going to get better. As you get better, your confidence level will go through the roof.
Become the debater you need to be to get things done today.
