Has this happened to you? You organize a brainstorming session to analyze your process. At the kick-off meeting, several people sit with arms crossed, lips pursed, eyes cast downward. Frequently, they’re the ones who’ve worked at the process for

“Here we go again. Wasting time to prove the obvious,” their faces say. “I’ve done my job for years. You’re not going to show me anything I don’t already know.”

Yet you bravely push forward. Every now and then you see a couple people roll their eyes. “When can I get back to my desk and do some real work?” they seem to implore.

It’s a bit daunting to face down smart, experienced skeptics. Their in-depth, hands-on knowledge—which they’ve painstakingly pieced together over the years—is indeed impressive, profound, and invaluable. More often than not, they know a lot more than you do.

Make no mistake: You want (and desperately need) them on your team.

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