CHAPTER 4 Utilize Differences

Dave hurried home, eager to have another chat with Beattie. He was aware that time was ticking by and he needed to start writing his report for Jim. The house was empty when he arrived. Walking through the kitchen, he noticed a note on the counter in Dee’s handwriting. It read simply, "Gone to the beach.”

I’m glad they’re taking advantage of the weather, thought Dave.

Dave was barbecuing lamb kebabs and Italian vegetables for dinner when Dee and Beattie returned. After they’d enjoyed their meal and the dishes had been cleared, Dave sat down with his notepad and pen, cleared his throat, and gave Beattie a hopeful look.

“Dave!” Dee chided. "I’m happy that you’re reaching out to Beattie, but let the woman digest her dinner.”

“Sorry,” he said.

Beattie jumped in. "No, Dee, this is fine. Dave has a short time frame to figure things out. Besides, I’m enjoying it.”

Dee walked over and put her hands on Dave’s shoulders. "All right. Would you mind using your office? I’d like a little quiet time to do some writing.”

“Of course,” he said.

Beattie admired the décor as they entered Dave’s comfortably appointed study. She took one of the chairs across the coffee table from Dave.

“I was talking with a coworker named Sarah McKenzie today about how collaboration has to start from the Heart, and when you have a heart for collaboration, you utilize the diverse opinions of the people around you. Sarah pointed out that it’s hard for managers to consider different perspectives if they never ask people what they think.”

“Tell me about Sarah,” said Beattie.

“She’s one of our young engineers. I think she shows tremendous promise. As far as I’m concerned, she’s just the sort of talent we should be grooming to take over a senior role in the company someday. When I explained the concept that collaboration starts with you, she even started thinking about what she could do differently to make her voice heard. Once that happened, our whole conversation changed. She wasn’t afraid to speak truthfully.”

“That’s marvelous, Dave. In many organizations, people are prevented from offering suggestions or even enjoying their work because of leaders who don’t realize the advantages of asking for feedback—as you did with Sarah.”

Dave nodded. "Yes, Sarah’s seen that behavior in action more than once at Cobalt. In fact, she had several ideas on the Primo project that were ignored by some senior leaders because she wasn’t part of their team—and even by her own leader because she’s, you know, young. I found out she really wants to contribute, and when it doesn’t happen, she gets pretty frustrated.”

“We had the same problem at Blenheim,” said Beattie. "The older generation wouldn’t listen to the younger generation because the young people had no experience, let alone tenure with the company. Some managers didn’t want people in their department to get selected for tasks beyond their current responsibilities, and so on. It sounds like both you and Sarah know how that goes.”

Dave smiled. It was as if Beattie knew exactly what the Primo project had been like.

“So, Dave,” said Beattie, "let’s talk about this. The key is to continuously promote a collaborative mindset and culture within the company.”

“Right. The air we breathe.”

“To do that at Blenheim, we decided we wouldn’t promote any manager unless they clearly demonstrated that they had worked collaboratively. That means they had to have worked with and shared their talent with other departments on at least one project. Plus, their colleagues had to confirm they had contributed willingly. And it wasn’t just about their contribution—they needed to show they were willing to ask for and consider the opinions of others, and even utilize an idea they might not agree with if it was for the greater good.”

“Accepting ideas you don’t agree with—that’s remarkable,” said Dave. "So what I’m hearing is that if a company really wants people to collaborate, it has to be part of the reward system. No collaboration, no promotion. Does that philosophy have to start with the top management?”

“Absolutely!” Beattie insisted. "I’ve never heard of a bottom-up reward and punishment system, have you?” She continued with a smile. "Because collaboration begins with each individual, the only people who should be promoted to leadership positions are those who allow others to contribute. By considering ideas from everyone, you will not only deepen the collective mindset of collaboration within the company, but also drive out silos and increase productivity.”

“So it sounds like the natural result of utilizing different perspectives is that people are more engaged because they feel their opinions are important. And you get the benefit of a ton of ideas and solutions to problems.”

“Exactly. Innovation rarely comes from just one group. It’s still hard, though, for people to take a risk and put an idea forward for fear that it will be dismissed without consideration. To counter that fear, at Blenheim we have brainstorming sessions where we encourage suggestions from everyone at every level. At these sessions, staff members mix with experts, peers, supervisors, and executives. It’s a great learning opportunity that increases engagement with the company all around.”

“Wow, lots of wins there,” said Dave.

As Beattie talked, it became obvious to Dave why she was so successful in business. Her enthusiasm was infectious.

“I’ve been at some great sessions,” Beattie said. "My newest recruits told me how exciting it was to have their ideas heard by revered experts and senior leaders. For some it was the first time they had ever felt trusted or empowered to speak their mind. I’ve seen employee work passion go through the roof during those meetings.”

They both sat thoughtfully for a moment.

“Something you mentioned earlier still baffles me,” said Dave. "It was about conflict actually being healthy.”

“Seems like an oxymoron, doesn’t it?”

“At this point, yes. In my report for Jim on what went wrong with Primo, I need to include recommendations on how to ensure the success of future projects. I’m not sure I can honestly suggest that conflict is healthy. We had so much conflict on the Primo project, it wiped out the project’s profitability. Some of the leaders barely speak to each other now.”

“Hmm, that’s not good at all. I’m guessing it got personal and became some kind of turf war, with egos involved.”

“That’s for sure,” said Dave.

“The key to handling conflict is to make sure people understand it’s okay to have an opposing view; however, it’s important that the conflict doesn’t become personal. If it does, that’s when the leader needs to step in, stop the exchange, and get people back on track.”

Dave nodded. "Do you have any tips on how to do that?”

“Sure. Keep focusing on the issue and the possible solutions. Make it clear that personal matters and preferences are to be kept out of the conversation, or at least to a minimum.”

Dave looked at his notes again. A few pages down, he had begun creating a map of how the ideas linked together. The concept of collaboration wasn’t simple. It was intertwined with many other aspects of working life. He needed to be clear about this in his report to Jim.

Beattie glanced at her watch. "Crikey, Dave, it’s ten o’clock. We’ve left Dee alone for two hours! I came here to see my baby sister. Instead, I seem to be bonding with my Yankee brother-in-law,” she said with a laugh.

On cue, Dee knocked gently on the door. "Hey, kids, I’m off to bed. All that beach time today has worn me out.”

With Dee and Beattie heading off to sleep, Dave took advantage of the quiet to analyze Primo—the problems and the solutions—in light of what he’d learned about collaboration, the Heart domain, and the importance of asking for and sharing diverse perspectives. He went to his computer and began a document he could use as an outline for his report to Jim.