My EIA Principles
Andy Mitchell
Chartered Environmentalist | Chartered Town Planner I IEMA Fellow | Registered EIA Practitioner
No.5 - Be Gracious and Thankful When You're Wrong
This one comes with a big bold disclaimer up front. I write this with a good old dollop of hypocrisy but no bad intent. I am not good at hearing criticism - constructive or otherwise - let alone accepting and acting upon it. But I do honestly believe that differing, sometimes even opposing, points of view are a healthy part of EIA and should, if shared constructively and with decorum, lead to a better outcome overall. That's the perspective from which I'm writing this piece. With a growth mindset, a strong desire to get better at this myself, and a commitment to support anyone in my network - friends, colleagues and mortal enemies alike - to get better at it too.
I don't like being wrong. I like it even less when someone else notices first. But I do make mistakes sometimes. My wife is not on LinkedIn so please don't anyone tell her I admitted this.
But humans are humans, mistakes happen, and opinions often differ.
If I have made a mistake, misinterpreted something, even just taken a line that is less easy to justify than an alternative, I want to find out by any means so that I can change it. If, like me, you're hardwired to take criticism as a personal slight on your character - or a brutal assault on your professional competence - I urge you to think long game. A small amount of embarrassment now is such a low cost in return for a better, more defensible product later.
I'm aiming to get to a stage where my need to be right is overpowered by my need to own and correct my mistakes and remain open to other perspectives. Even if my opinion is coming from a good place, based on sound judgement and reasonable evidence, it still isn't necessarily a) right or b) fixed. At least, it doesn't need to be.
Even at inquiry, when the relentless QC or planning lawyer lands the apparent killer blow with a triumphant mic-drop (that happens, right?). It's not a comfortable place to be, sure, but I started from a position of strength in which I believe - qualified, experienced, knowledgeable, professional - and I can defend that bit no matter what. So either I'm right/justified or I've made a mistake/error of judgement. If it's the latter I need not panic. Why would I? I showed my working.
My message for this piece therefore is quite simple. Don't let the need to be right (or the fear of being wrong) dictate how you approach any EIA challenge. Likewise try to welcome and usher in healthy debate, even disagreement, like the embrace of an old friend you've missed dearly.
Shared constructively and with good grace, if your answer is better than mine I pick yours. Every time.
I started this with a big bold disclaimer and it's only right I loop back to it. Notwithstanding everything I just said, if you show me beyond reasonable doubt that I made a mistake I'll still probably deny it first, then find it and go into a shame spiral, correct it, avoid eye contact with you for a while, then at some point move on without saying anything else about it. But I'm self-aware at least. I know that's the default script my brain will run and I'm working on recognising and interrupting it before it takes hold. I urge everyone to work on the same sorts of things. These are the "soft skills" in EIA that eventually set apart the exceptional from the competent.
Accepting criticism is a skill. Actively encouraging and then embracing it for the long game of a better outcome is a superpower. I'm trying to nurture that.
PS show your working.
Knowledge Leadership - Environmental and Social Sustainability
4 年Great to see these articles Andy, well done, I know that it takes effort and courage to write personal articles on LinkedIn and I applaud your effort and commitment to #EIA and good practice. Keep up the good work!