Which are the people who help you develop even more and keep you on the learning track?
You’re probably thinking of those who support you, compliment you, and give you confidence.

But Adam Grant makes us rethink just that. In his book “Think Again”, he talks about the two types of network that is good to surround yourself with in order to develop: Support network & Challenge network.

Support network:

The group of people around you who:

 support you

 compliment you

 confirm your conclusions

 give you confidence

 encourage you

 believe you will succeed

Challenge network:

The group of people around you who:

 give you tough feedback

 make you improve

 are disagreeable skeptics

 point out your blind spots

 question your assumptions

 push you and tell you that you’re not yet where you should be

The point of having a Challenge network is that these people make you humble about your experience and expertise, question your knowledge, and help you stay curious about the knowledge that is yet to come.
These are the people who nudge you so you never stop learning and overcoming your weaknesses. The critical and skeptical people around you won’t be afraid to question the way things have always been done. They will challenge the status quo. They’ll always make you think again.
And, they will encourage constructive conflict and the clash of different opinions.

If you have such a black sheep in your team or your boss behaves like Dr. House with his interns – congratulate yourself! You’re having real challengers around you. Give them a voice!

Because our biggest critics make us stronger!