The Value of Negativity
What the Naysayers Bring to the Table
There was a guy I used to work with at a large fintech company. He was a senior developer and was often in our cross-functional team planning meetings. He seldom spoke, but when he did, you could feel the energy of the room shift toward discomfort. Sometimes even visible eyerolls.
He was consistently critical. He made our work harder.
I loved that guy.
Despite the years of suffering we endured, I can’t think of a time he was wrong. He saw what the rest of us didn’t. Every judgement and quip made us better.
He taught me the value of the naysayer.
I’m in this picture and I don’t like it
Maybe you’re that person. The one who can always find the weak spot. And can’t resist pointing it out.
If that resonates, I’m not here to validate or exalt you. Lord knows I’ve been that person too many cringy times and it’s not gone well. Moments when my personal dissatisfactions caustically met my keen eye for detail, resulting in unnecessary, outsized reactions. (A half-grunt, half-sigh of shame and embarrasment escapes my mouth as I type this.)
However, when employed thoughtfully and strategically, there are times when this…
