Episode 190: The Leadership Skill Everyone Thinks Is Dangerous

Published: August 19, 2026

Episode Description

Most of us have been taught that being easy to work with is a leadership strength. Don’t create conflict. Don’t question the plan. And definitely don’t challenge your boss.

But new Zenger Folkman research tells a very different story.

In this episode of 90th Percentile Leadership, BreAnne Okoren and Joe Folkman examine data from 139,267 managers, each rated by an average of 13 people across 60 leadership behaviors. The finding surprised even us: the leaders who constructively challenge others the most are also rated as the most effective—and the data showed no point where constructive challenge became “too much.”

But there’s an important distinction between being a constructive challenger and simply being critical.

BreAnne and Joe explore what separates the two, why intent and timing matter, how to challenge a boss without damaging the relationship, and why the best challengers leave people with more energy—not less.

Because extraordinary leaders aren’t the people who agree with every idea.

They’re the people who know how to make good ideas better.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• 1. Constructive challenge is strongly connected to leadership effectiveness.
  The research found no ceiling: as leaders became better at constructively challenging others, their overall leadership effectiveness continued to rise.

  2. Challenging isn’t the same as criticizing.
  Destructive challengers focus on what’s wrong. Constructive challengers look for what’s possible. The difference often comes down to whether you’re trying to improve the idea or prove that you’re right.

  3. The best challengers create energy rather than drain it.
  Questions like “How could we make this stronger?” or “Have we considered another approach?” invite people into better thinking instead of putting them on the defensive.

  4. You can challenge your boss without undermining them.
  Timing, tone, and setting matter. Constructive challenge isn’t about embarrassing someone or demonstrating how smart you are. It’s about improving the outcome.

  5. Don’t just point out the problem—offer a better possibility.
  This week’s 90th Percentile Practice is simple: in your next meeting, replace “I don’t think this will work” with “Here’s another approach we might consider.” Small shifts in language can change how people experience your challenge.

  The 90th Percentile Question

  Would you rather work for a leader who never challenged a bad decision—or one who respectfully challenged ideas that could make the team better?

  Why?

  We want to hear what you think. Email your answer to info@zfco.com. We may feature some of our favorite responses in an upcoming episode.

  And here’s another question we’re curious about: Have you ever challenged a boss and had it go well—or badly? What made the difference?

  Send us your story at info@zfco.com. We’d love to hear it.

Interested in bringing Extraordinary You to your organization?

Visit Zenger Folkman to learn how Extraordinary You helps individual contributors identify their strengths, accelerate their development, and make a greater impact—long before they step into formal leadership roles.

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