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How is it possible to have wholehearted
agreement when people's viewpoints are diverse?
The short answer is this: It's possible with the right perspective.
Sometimes people say they are not in the right mind to solve a
problem. What is actually happening is that they do not have the
right perspective for what they are doing, and so they are unable to
bring to mind the information or solution they're looking for.
For example, if a person needs a complex work-related solution right
away, it's doubtful one will come to mind when they are at the park
completely in the perspective of coaching a soccer team.
But if they are at the park, and still in the perspective they use
for work, it's possible that the solution they're looking for might
come to mind.
We were investigating the causes of interpersonal conflicts that
prevent true teamwork when we had an important realization. We could
see that the perspectives that people were using when they were
solving problems contained a common element.
We realized that this element could be unnecessarily limiting us to
compromise solutions — especially when the solution involved
people with a diversity of viewpoints.
So we formed a team to develop a new perspective. And we discovered
that when we adopted the new perspective (that didn't have that
element), a new range of solutions began coming to mind, solutions
that were much more of a fit for the people involved.
Most of us have had the experience of recognizing that our
perspective, at the time, was preventing a solution from coming to
mind. Recognizing this, we did something — took a walk or changed
our focus — in order to change our perspective. Then, after we
changed our perspective, a solution could come to mind.
In our case, in order to improve the solutions coming to mind when
there is a diversity of viewpoints, we developed a new perspective.
Now, instead of being limited to compromise solutions, we can use
this new perspective, and bring to mind solutions that the people
involved can truly agree with.
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Does it
cost more for everyone involved to be in wholehearted agreement with
a solution?
In most cases, cost is not a factor in reaching wholehearted
agreement.
What determines whether a person will wind up with a compromise
solution, or a solution that everyone involved can truly agree with,
is mainly the perspective they're using when they're creating the
solution.
In many cases, it can wind up costing less using the perspective
that we've developed.
For example, when a person can create solutions that are truly a fit
for everyone involved, it eliminates the time and other resources
that are required to negotiate an outcome or decide on
trade-offs.
Also, solutions that are truly a fit for the people involved are the
most efficient solutions to implement. There aren't the problems and
costs that compromise solutions generate because of mismatches and
other misalignments.
Solutions that are truly a fit for the people involved also tend to
be the most effective. Because they are such a good fit, they
produce the best outcomes.
Similarly, when people are truly in agreement with a solution, it's
inherently motivating. The motivation they feel can often produce an
outcome well beyond what was expected.
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How does
this new perspective increase the satisfaction of a workforce?
The satisfaction of the workforce depends on this: how much
employees are truly in agreement with the decisions and solutions
that are impacting them.
When decisions and solutions impacting employees are not truly a fit
for them, it tends to reduce the amount of satisfaction they're
feeling.
With this new perspective, each time a solution is created that
impacts the workforce, it's going to add to its satisfaction.
The Blue Cross Blue Shield
Ten-Year Case Study is an example of how using this
perspective — using solutions that the people involved can
truly agree with — produces a more efficient, effective
and satisfied workforce.
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Where
would our company get the most benefit from this
perspective?
Every person who learns this perspective will positively affect the
people they impact. So a good place to start is to teach it to your
executives. Their decisions are having the most impact on the
organization.
The organization can also target The Key to Winning Program to areas
that are particularly strategic. For example, the perspective can be
used to positively shape the development and marketing of an
important product or service.
Or, it can be used to rapidly and successfully integrate the culture
of a company that's been acquired.
Similarly, an organization operating globally can target the program
to areas where there are significant cultural differences or a
significant difference in viewpoints.
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How
does the perspective improve communications?
A person with this perspective is consistently bringing to mind
solutions that are truly a fit for the people involved. It has a
significant impact on communications in any environment.
For example, when the people involved are in wholehearted agreement
with the solutions that are impacting them, they tend to lower the
barriers they've put up which interfere with communications.
Similarly, when people are feeling comfortable that they are going
to be in agreement with the solution that is adopted, they tend to
shift to more of an explorative approach, offering their experiences
and ideas more freely.
One of the most serious problems in communications are the
assumptions people make. This new perspective goes a long way to
correct this problem. An important quality of the perspective is
that it leads people away from making assumptions, and it makes
assumptions much more visible when they occur.
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Are
you sure a solution created with this perspective isn't really a
compromise?
A solution created from this perspective is not a compromise.
When people are using compromise solutions, they are making
concessions. They are in agreement with compromising because they
believe it is their best option for a solution. But often they are
not truly in agreement with the solution.
Once a person learns this new perspective, a compromise solution is
no longer their best option. A solution that's truly a fit for the
people involved is.
So when viewpoints are diverse, a person with this perspective is
not looking for a compromise solution. Instead, they're looking for
a solution that is truly a fit for the people involved.
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How
would this perspective benefit us in negotiations?
With this perspective, a solution is not created by negotiating.
It's an entirely different process.
Instead of negotiating toward a solution, a person with this
perspective is looking for a solution that everyone involved can
truly agree with. It produces a much better outcome.
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What
happens if only one person has the perspective?
As long as the one person with the perspective is participating in
creating the solution, they can bring to mind a solution that
everyone involved can truly agree with.
This is why one person with the perspective will positively affect
the people they impact — even a department or division.
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What
happens if everyone in the group has the perspective?
When everyone involved has learned the perspective, effective
solutions tend to come to mind very quickly. Problem solving often
takes a fraction of the time it did before.
Meetings are shorter and more enjoyable, and there is more
individual time for other tasks.
Because each of the people involved have the ability to bring to
mind solutions that everyone involved can truly agree with, it has a
very positive effect on their interactions. And it has a very
positive effect on the people they're impacting.
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What
are the most powerful moments in The Key to Winning Program?
The most powerful moments are when participants use this perspective
in their business and personal lives during the program.
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