“I want you to give me a reason to fire Alison,” a project manager told me.
Before I could respond, he launched into his frustration.
“She never has anything good to say about the new system. She focuses on every flaw. She’s going to turn everyone against it.”
Curious, I reviewed the project’s chat streams. Alison was indeed pointing out issues, but the majority of her comments were constructive. More importantly, her concerns weren’t simply complaints; they identified potential pitfalls. She wasn’t tearing the system down. She was troubleshooting: identifying risks that could affect customer adoption and undermine promised benefits.
That’s a critical distinction.
Supports success.
Undermines it.
So, how can you tell the difference? Listen for these troubleshooting tells:
On the flip side, people who are undermining a project may rely on vague, sweeping criticism without engaging in problem-solving. You might hear comments like:
But words alone don’t tell the whole story. Even an emotional or poorly expressed objection may point to a legitimate problem.
The distinction becomes clearer when leaders explore the concern, examine the evidence, and observe whether the person is willing to help resolve the issue.
People on the front lines are often the first to spot missing requirements or functionality gaps.
The best leaders don’t listen just to rebut; they listen to understand.
When you remove ego from the equation and focus on the value of feedback, you don’t just build better projects—you build a culture where critical thinking and problem-solving thrive.
The next time someone like Alison challenges a new initiative, ask yourself:
Is she causing problems, or is she trying to prevent them?
The difference could determine the success of your project.
Melinda Starkweather is co-founder of Starkweather Association Services and developer of the Cirrus Change Readiness platform. She is a coach and speaker on change management.
