Developing Independent Thinkers
Written by Dave Turin • Reviewed by Laura Meyer
June 2, 2022
“How do you develop someone who thinks outside the box, but who stays within the framework of your playbook?” -Dave Turin
The real challenge when it comes to getting people to think creatively and share their ideas is to build a safe environment within your company that says it’s okay to speak up.
If you create that safe environment, that person will step up, and then you have the opportunity to encourage that independent thinking.
It Starts from the Top
As a leader, you have to allow people the freedom to speak up. By your actions and the way you communicate with others, you show your team that they will be heard and valued and that they can cultivate and share out-of-the-box ideas. That's what happened with Aaron Witt and Dan Briscoe here at BuildWitt. They've got all kinds of stories about how Dan's willingness to speak up and Aaron's willingness to listen have made BuildWitt better.
Be Constructive
In order to truly create this kind of culture, you have to be constructive, and that sense of constructive encouragement must permeate throughout the entire company
Like with all of these principles, it’s top-down and bottom-up. The principle of creating a workplace where every single employee feels free to bring new ideas to the table, from laborer to general superintendent, is rooted in having great individuals in every position on your team.
Check out Dave's next lesson, Developing Confidence and Humility.
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Dave Turin
DAVE TURIN is a civil engineer who embarked upon his pursuit for gold as part of the hit reality show GOLD RUSH and currently is the star of DAVE TURIN’S LOST MINE on Discovery Channel. Although Dave has worn many hats and operated various pieces of heavy equipment throughout ten seasons of gold mining, it was the extensive hours he spent bulldozing that acquired him the name “Dozer Dave”. Dave grew up in the foothills of the Mt. Hood wilderness in Oregon, where he cultivated a love for the outdoors while hunting and fishing. This is also where he began spearheading his family’s successful rock quarry business along with his father and three brothers. Dave has a desire to encourage young people to work hard, to resist giving up in the midst of adversity, and to be bold in trying new things. He feels the trades are a viable option for many and is a proponent of addressing the skills gap and labor shortages in that industry. Viewers of GOLD RUSH worldwide have witnessed Dave’s successes, failures, frustrations, persistence, and his ability to bounce back even stronger than before. Dave never shies away from a challenge. As a football enthusiast he has learned to tackle obstacles head on, using his experience and intelligence in the construction field to gain success. When Dave isn’t moving rocks and pursuing gold responsibly he enjoys spending time with his family and playing golf.