Leadership Viewpoint

We’ve all been guilty of wanting to prove our point so much that we miss opportunities for effectiveness. This week, we watched the U.S. Senate pull an ‘all-nighter’ to supposedly end the war in Iraq. The Press kept telling us before, during and after the event that it was largely a media event; it was doomed before it began. Ironically, after the escapade ended, one Republican senator commented that there were definitely more Republican votes that could have been swayed, but they were so offended by the media antics that they stood their ground with their Republican colleagues rather than break ranks in such a public forum. Clearly this is a critically important issue for the U.S. and many other countries. We hate to see anybody dally with it for their own personal gain.

Finding a reasonable way for the U.S. to exit from Iraq is far more important than most of the issues that we face at work. Even with less important issues, however, people often get so engrossed in proving their point that they may not see the forest through the trees. We need to consistently look for ways to achieve our goals, and the path is often with others rather than proving ourselves right at their expense. The old saying, “Hold your friends close and your enemies closer,” is fundamental to selling your proposals. If there’s a colleague that is likely to oppose your proposal, you can often save yourself time and pain by drawing them in and addressing their concerns, and giving them credit, upfront. They often have good reasons for their objections, and our proposal is truly stronger when we find ways to effectively address those reasons.

Perhaps the worst thing about proving ourselves right is that it too often means that we must simultaneously prove somebody else wrong. Remember how bad it feels to be that ‘wrong’ person. You lose face, and may even want to find an opportunity for retaliation. In the long haul, this is not a path to business success. Working with your potential opponents turns them into helpful colleagues, reduces tension and builds the effectiveness of your proposals. It may be more work, and you bypass the ‘joy’ of rubbing somebody else’s nose in it, but the long-term results are simply phenomenal.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Watching the news has become a rather “seedy” experience these days. We hear about important issues, like terror plots and wars. Much of the news, however, focuses on people that have succumbed to some sort of temptation. Whether it is the celebrity du jour or the latest political scandal, it is diversionary and wastes our time. Even the coverage of presidential debates is typically on trite “gotchas” rather than laying out candidate positions on important issues.

Despite the proliferation of news channels and programs, it is more difficult than ever to stay well informed. Reporters rarely ‘report’ anymore without an ‘angle’ that serves as a hook for the intellectually lazy. This makes a lot of people a lot of money, but has, unfortunately lowered the level of discourse throughout our society. So many people, thinking they are informed, try to discuss issues of the day. It is often embarrassing to engage people on these issues, as they are often well informed of one side of the issue, and know nothing of the competing arguments.

When a friend asked me how I managed to learn the facts I used during a political discussion, I mentioned a variety of sources. Honestly, she looked shocked! Reading, CSPAN, research and genuine intellectual curiosity have gone the way of Model T. It’s easy to assume that the nonsense presented by our favorite newscaster is the whole truth; easy, but wrong. I encourage people to remember that leaders are readers. This applies to more than the latest book on leadership. It’s also important to be well informed about the issues of the day. Read a variety of sources and opinions and decide for yourself.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

This morning the news is hitting that Barack Obama, Illinois Senator and candidate for President, spent four years as a child studying at a Muslim school in Indonesia. Because he supposedly hadn’t ‘revealed’ this before, it is being touted as ‘big news’.

It strikes me that the distance between attending a Muslim school for four years as a child and Muslim extremists is about as far as a child attending a Catholic school for four years and the Pope. If your family is living in Indonesia, and you want your children to get a good education, the odds are that you will send the child to a private school, which will most likely be Muslim.

Also concerning, this ‘news’ was discovered and released by Hilary Clinton’s campaign people. What kind of horrible campaign do we have ahead of us? Are we doomed to another round of silly exposés, or might we actually discuss issues that matter to our lives?

As for many Americans’ fear of everything Muslim, please remain calm. The vast majority of Muslims are warm, loving peaceful people. They are at least as horrified by Muslim extremists as the rest of us. Rather than fearing every Muslim, we would do well to engage and befriend them. It is the breaking down of barriers that leads to understanding, acceptance and ultimately peace. Press hysterics over nothing only serve to widen our divide and feed stereotypes. This hits our workplace and adds to diversity issues. We can and must do better.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

As I listened to Donald Rumsfeld’s farewell speech, I couldn’t help but think about character. Do we, as leaders and future leaders in the U.S., have the character it will take to endure the challenges that we will no doubt face in the coming years? Many analysts predict that the ‘War on Terror’ will persist for decades, perhaps longer than the Cold War. I am reminded that anybody can seem to exude high standards of character when times are easy. Real character, however, is exhibited when times are challenging. Let’s be up to the challenge!

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!