The Great Communicator

Personality differences can create harmony or conflict in business. Collaboration on a project can by stymied, for example, by not understanding the other person’s style. Some people make decisions based on precise facts and details, with all the i’s dotted and t’s crossed. Some need time to brainstorm and consider all possible angles. The leader eventually must force decisions and actions, of course, but leaders will get greater support for their decisions if there’s been opportunity for all types of personalities to engage in the process in the way that seems most effective to them.

"I gave the floor to Gorbachev first, and he went into a long pitch arguing that Americans had no reasons to mistrust the Soviets and that we should apply no preconditions to our discussions . . . . Gorbachev said he believed that American munitions makers were the principal obstacle to peace on the American side: They were our ruling class, he suggested, and they kept our people fired up against the Soviets simply because they wanted to sell more weapons . . . . Finally it was my turn, and I took Gorbachev through the long history of Soviet aggression, citing chapter and verse of the Soviet Union’s policy of expansionism from 1917 onward. I wanted to explain why the free world had good reason to put up its guard against the Soviet bloc."

Although Reagan and Gorbachev were friendly on a personal basis, they didn’t hide their viewpoints. They were very clear with each other about where they stood on the issues, and didn’t shrink from criticizing each other’s countries. On the other hand, they found areas upon which they could agree that served as launching points for discussion.

This is equally important in business. Don’t let "Minnesota Nice" take over your organization, with everyone agreeing face to face, but talking about their differences behind closed doors. Get disagreements that are sparked by dif-ferences in perspective out in the open. Devise a process for resolving conflict and making trade-offs. As a leader, view conflict as a chance to coach people in good communication that leads to positive results. Model the right attitude by playing the play that’s ultimately called, whether or not you personally agree with it. Let the common ground of corporate goals be the guiding principle.

 

"After more than an hour, Gorbachev and I decided it was probably time for us to rejoin the others, so we began walking up the path to the main building. Midway in our walk, in the center of a parking lot, I stopped him and, because of a hunch that the time was right to do so, I invited Gorbachev to Washington for another summit. He not only accepted, but invited me to come to Moscow for a third summit."

And that was the beginning of the end of the Cold War—extraordinary, world-changing results from two men simply talking. Let’s try that in our companies and see what performance-changing results we achieve.