Standing in line to board a Delta flight from Tucson to Atlanta today, I realized one of the causes of our troubles as a nation…and, perhaps, what may be causing conflict — or worse — in your business.
I had just touched base with the gate agent regarding our departure, as the incoming flight had not yet arrived, and I wanted to see if we were going to be on time. The friendly agent said the flight was about to land…and I could just stand right there and wait to board the plane, as I was in Group One.
While waiting, I checked for messages on my iPhone, and sent a couple of texts. Then, three guys walked right by me, to take their place in front of me to board the plane.
While irritating, it’s nothing I would ever lose my cool over — we’re all going to arrive in Atlanta at the same time, and my connection to Indianapolis won’t leave any earlier if I’m first on the plane in Tucson.
However, when a couple walked in front of THEM, they immediately called attention to their place at the “front” of the queue. (Turns out, the couple was going first because the wife had a cast from hip to toe, and was boarding as a handicapped passenger.)
In other words, the very behavior they had just displayed to ME…was infuriating to THEM! They thought nothing of stepping in front of my place in line…because they were only looking out for themselves. When someone did the exact same thing to them, they responded negatively, and immediately.
This phenomenon goes well beyond the old “looking out for number one” mentality…it’s reached the point where “if you don’t think and act like me”…then you’re number two…if you get my implication.
Yesterday, I was one of two keynote speakers at a major conference on health insurance. The opening speaker was former Senate Majority Leader, Dr. Bill Frist. As both a doctor — he’s a heart and lung transplant surgeon — and a former U. S. Senator, he’s on the front lines of the debate.
Senator Frist was remarkably insightful and wise in his program. One of the most striking examples, however, was his use of this statistic: During the time that Everitt Dirksen and Lyndon Johnson were the Minority and Majority Leaders of the United States Senate in the 1960′s, the average Senator voted a straight party line about 55% of the time. The rest of the time, Senators negotiated and compromised to find a middle ground to do what was best for the nation. (For example, it took Republican votes to pass the major civil rights legislation. Many Democrats from the South voted against the measures. Without the bipartisan approach, some of the landmark legislation on equality would not have been passed.) Today, Frist said, the party line vote occurs about 91% of the time.
“When I refuse to even consider the viewpoints of others — just because they belong to the opposing political party — I both negate potential opportunities to help my constituents, AND foster a climate of vitriol and negativity, where little of a constructive nature is accomplished,” Frist said.
So, Democrats and Republicans both point the finger — or, in more dramatic cases, give the finger, and shout and spit — at one another, insisting that it “just CAN’T be ME!”
How is this point about your business? Consider when a customer complains…and a manager assumes his negative evaluation cannot be correct. An employee is upset…and a vice-president instead complains about her attitude. It can’t be US in the wrong!
YES, it is. When we fail to intelligently consider the perspective of others, we ultimately devalue ourselves.
Why, it just CAN’T be me…
March 24, 2010 · 4 comments
Standing in line to board a Delta flight from Tucson to Atlanta today, I realized one of the causes of our troubles as a nation…and, perhaps, what may be causing conflict — or worse — in your business.
I had just touched base with the gate agent regarding our departure, as the incoming flight had not yet arrived, and I wanted to see if we were going to be on time. The friendly agent said the flight was about to land…and I could just stand right there and wait to board the plane, as I was in Group One.
While waiting, I checked for messages on my iPhone, and sent a couple of texts. Then, three guys walked right by me, to take their place in front of me to board the plane.
While irritating, it’s nothing I would ever lose my cool over — we’re all going to arrive in Atlanta at the same time, and my connection to Indianapolis won’t leave any earlier if I’m first on the plane in Tucson.
However, when a couple walked in front of THEM, they immediately called attention to their place at the “front” of the queue. (Turns out, the couple was going first because the wife had a cast from hip to toe, and was boarding as a handicapped passenger.)
In other words, the very behavior they had just displayed to ME…was infuriating to THEM! They thought nothing of stepping in front of my place in line…because they were only looking out for themselves. When someone did the exact same thing to them, they responded negatively, and immediately.
Yesterday, I was one of two keynote speakers at a major conference on health insurance. The opening speaker was former Senate Majority Leader, Dr. Bill Frist. As both a doctor — he’s a heart and lung transplant surgeon — and a former U. S. Senator, he’s on the front lines of the debate.
Senator Frist was remarkably insightful and wise in his program. One of the most striking examples, however, was his use of this statistic: During the time that Everitt Dirksen and Lyndon Johnson were the Minority and Majority Leaders of the United States Senate in the 1960′s, the average Senator voted a straight party line about 55% of the time. The rest of the time, Senators negotiated and compromised to find a middle ground to do what was best for the nation. (For example, it took Republican votes to pass the major civil rights legislation. Many Democrats from the South voted against the measures. Without the bipartisan approach, some of the landmark legislation on equality would not have been passed.) Today, Frist said, the party line vote occurs about 91% of the time.
“When I refuse to even consider the viewpoints of others — just because they belong to the opposing political party — I both negate potential opportunities to help my constituents, AND foster a climate of vitriol and negativity, where little of a constructive nature is accomplished,” Frist said.
So, Democrats and Republicans both point the finger — or, in more dramatic cases, give the finger, and shout and spit — at one another, insisting that it “just CAN’T be ME!”
How is this point about your business? Consider when a customer complains…and a manager assumes his negative evaluation cannot be correct. An employee is upset…and a vice-president instead complains about her attitude. It can’t be US in the wrong!