management: internal communications

KEEP THE DISCOURSE CIVIL AND PRODUCTIVE

Polarization, whether intentional or unintentional, can acerbate a situation and make a healthy and productive dialogue difficult. Once people feel insulted, they do not make very good listeners. As we are well aware, these are chaotic times. Opinions differ and passions can run extremely deep.

So, how do you get from tension to solution?

DEFINE HOW YOU TALK

Successful organizations need to have frank and serious discussions. It’s important to have a robust and healthy debating process that resolves issues and enables the entity to move forward.

FOLLOW THE FIVE STEPS

1. Balance logic and emotion. Evaluate with both your brain and your heart. Take the time to diligently review the logical pros and cons, and then, seek the guidance of your gut feelings and emotional response. Contemplative logic and passionate emotion are both good tools. Use them both.

“Truly successful decision-making relies on a balance between deliberate and instinctive thinking.” – Malcolm Gladwell

2. Be aware of your bias. We generally are drawn (in some cases pushed) to one side of the equation. Take the time to consider your natural predisposition and be prepared to challenge it.

3. Do not demonize either side. Integrity, objectivity and a search for truth are ideals for inspirational leaders. Reasonable people can disagree on the issues. Assume the integrity behind each option and opinion as a reflective viewpoint of what is inherently best for the organization. Virtue is not the sovereignty of either side of the debate.

4. There will be unintended consequences. Regardless of the collective decision, there will be unforeseen ramifications, pro and con. Acknowledge this is a part of the decision process and the imperfect world in which we live.

5. Unite behind the decision. Be prepared to move forward together as a team. The ability to productively debate serious issues is a vital part of organizational growth and development.

The challenge is to harness the creative power of varied perspectives while preserving organizational focus and alignment with a motivated and unified team.

I submit the framework is even more vital for us as world citizens striving to improve the condition and potentiality of mankind.

A BRANDING EXAMPLE

At the turn of the decade, it was my honor to serve on the Governing Council of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Towards the end of my three year term, the membership was being asked to vote on whether to approve the expansion of the CPA brand by adding a more comprehensive certification credential. Feelings ran deep on both sides of the issue. I was surprised to see how passionate beliefs began to fuel some unproductive discourse within the membership. At the time I wrote an e-mail to the AICPA Chair Kathy Eddy, suggesting some ground rules for the debate. Kathy, who is one of the most talented and caring people it has been my privilege to meet, articulated the above decision framework to CPAs across the country to remind them of the importance of reaching a decision in a responsible fashion that respects the organization and its participants.

Remember the formula: DEBATE – DECIDE – REALIGN – UNITE – ACT!

Greg Pashke , CMC is  President of Pashke Consulting and provides business mentoring, strategic and tactical planning, and financial modeling services. Greg is a frequent contributor to managerial and financial publications. He is committed to continuous learning and skill development. Greg’s mantra is “to get a lot done & have a lot of fun”.
Website: http://www.pashkeconsulting.com

Tags: civility, debate, dialogue

This entry was posted on Monday, January 5th, 2009 at 3:16 pm and is filed under Corporate Mindshift, Development, Management. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.