Comments on: Finding Common Ground When You Know You're Right

By: Bruce Wilkinson

Bruce Wilkinson — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 05:34:07 +0000

I heard somehwere recently that a good principle goes bad when it becomes a “cause.” That resonated with me on a number of fronts. It seems applicable here. Taking care of the environment is a good principle. Who doesn’t want to have a pleasant and sustainable place to live. When it becomes a cause in itself, there is a lot of evil done in its name. Making a profit is a good goal to create a sustainable business and support the stakeholders. When it becomes an end, in itself, then it can lead to unethical and damaging behavior–including the destruction of the environment. So, in addition to keeping relationships at a high priority in these crucial conversations, it might be useful to question whether or not a good principle is being over-leveraged.

By: Doreen Boettcher

Doreen Boettcher — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 19:40:30 +0000

A colleague of mine shared another thought that I think is very related. That is that people change for one of 3 reasons: Pain, Perception or Payoff. If they don’t experience or percieve any one of these, the likelihood of making the change is slim.

By: Barbara Armstrong

Barbara Armstrong — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 16:04:32 +0000

I read your post and was immediately struck by the idea that our government could learn a lot from following your suggestions. Perhaps you can send it to the entire US Congress! Thanks for the great ideas and examples. I really appreciated the link to the Corey Booker/ Chris Christie example. Well done!