Leaders and windshields: the art of deflecting essential information

Do you know how much information you deflect in a day? Do you know what techniques you use to keep information at bay? We all erect windshields. It is just a matter of degree. Sometimes we deflect information in spite of our good intentions. If we are not present when people are in dialogue with us, we soon lose the attention of that person. If we are leading a meeting and the feedback begins to get uncomfortable for us, we can interject the techniques of the alpha male or alpha female, or a variety of our own. But the audience knows you are not listening, and they soon go underground with their comments and interpretations. Soon you are cut out of valuable feedback. Deflecting information by surrounding yourself with windshields just won't work. We need second and third opinions continually. One of Warren Bennis' (2002) ten traits to becoming a "tomorrow leader" is that of ensuring that the leader's boundaries are porous and permeable. In his view, leaders need the foresight to see around the corner long before others do. His belief is that the only way to do this is to be in touch with your customers, and the outside world. But that only happens when the leader's boundaries are porous and permeable so that information can seep in. Effective leaders learn to lead without windshields.