Democracy is the power of equal votes for unequal minds.
- Charles I of England
As there are many departments in companies that are aiming for some particular aspects, like: finance, sales, technology, research and development, their goal, in theory, is to cooperate to create a greater value for the company. However, there might be many situations where departments may fight each other.
As a good negotiator you should foresee them and implement a democracy into your business.
Although business may seem to be an autocratic environment, where specialists are leading, showing all their knowledge and using it to create strategies, and achieve certain personal goals, there might be no sense to fight for outcome not in the name of a company.
Yes, in general, we are more interested in the results that will affect us positively short-term: we want higher wages, less work time, we want to be seen as an intelligent and wise person, lead, put our own ideas into life, and show others that we have more power. In fact, by doing this we can make our company collapse and lose all the prosperity in the more distant future.
As a beginner negotiator, what I have developed so far are the 5 rules that a moral leader should follow in order to create a peaceful and thoughtful atmosphere in all the negotiations, no matter the topic and value of them.
1. Give some air
Even though you may not be the actual leader of the group, and you may not have enough power to dominate, that should never be the case. Think, do you want to start or participate in a war? If either answers are "no", do your best encouraging people to give some air into discussions. Let everyone, including yourself, relax and forget about the negative impact life's giving us. Let people open, and freshen their minds. Build up a relationship that will create a working group rather than an unsettled coalition of people wanting to get rid of a present problem.
2. Listen and learn
If you think that others are to listen, you're wrong. Every human being is able to create inspiring thoughts and letting someone talk would be the best choice in the discussion. As everyone might have something very important to say, your task should be to let them say that freely. No interruptions, no time limitations, no comments, no discrimination. Maybe someone sees something no one else has? Maybe someone needs help? Doesn't understand something? Let everyone speak first, then start the discussion.
3. Make notes
During their speeches, make private notes. Try to find as many issues they consider important as possible. Do not focus on the words, but the intentions. Doing that you'll see what is a personal interest and what's not. Second, if you're able to, make the summing up notes on the whiteboard, so everyone can see them. Remember, that many rather are visual learners.
4. Focus on the company's future
So you did all the notes, and you found out that there are some conflicts in departments. Yes, some people will have to lose in few aspects, so the company wins overall. It may also mean that you will need to let some things go. Don't try to be competitive, as it won't lead to anything good. Cooperation is a key here. Focus then on those aspects that won't harm the relationships, because you want to avoid future conflicts, don't you?
5. Let them vote!
The final item on this list might be the most controversial, as many supervisors want to have the decisive voice. That is why I want to address it to all the present and future supervisors. Letting someone decide for you might feel weird, unexpected and stupid, because it is you, who will suffer the consequences of bad decisions. That is very crucial, and for some something they cannot imagine. Don't be that person. Don't let your business depend on you. You don't have the ultimate knowledge. In fact, your workers' knowledge is the most fundamental part of your company. That is why you should create not only a democratic atmosphere in your company, but a democratic decision-making environment as well. The worst thing to happen could be to lose workers, because they didn't feel company was treating their knowledge and skills seriously. Let them vote. Let them decide whether the company should or shouldn't follow a certain path. Take part in this decision making and understand it. Understand the peoples' intentions and challenge yourself to become a great moral leader.
Nice thoughts here. I don't quite agree on the last one though - the voting point.
ReplyDeleteImagine you have your third business activity, you learned your "do's and don't's" on your previous two businesses, as well as during your corporate experience at the end of your studies. You are an entrepreneur with a growing enterprise under your wings.
Say you were on a meeting with a potential co-operator, a company that may bring a powerful leverage to your enterprise's profitability. You agree on a set of steps you are going to conduct in order to benefit from the synergy effect. All beautiful.
As a "boss", would you engage your workers in decision making really? Wouldn't you rather try to "convince" or inspire them, so that they understand your company's next steps. Decision making and vote taking is a great team and responsibility building exercise, but the boss is there here to set the direction of the company, as workers are there to power the company. Everybody has their role, and it's best if they are not mixed to the extend you mentioned in point 5.
Workers should have the freedom of choosing their own path and direction of working, but to a limited extend - that is in their field of work (which is the most appealing to them. A designer is not a designer by a mistake or an unfortunate event) or their projects.
"Don't let the company depend on you" - this is so true. It only lacks one sentence - that all of you should trust each other. technicians need to know (or feel) that the boss is doing his/her best to keep the company running well, and vice versa.
Hello Rafał, thank you for your response, and I want to apologize that you had to wait for such a long time.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, one of the most important statements is "there are many departments in the company". If a CEO creates them, he has in mind that he or she NEEDS them. Saying that, gives them responsibilities for their own roles. Now, although the boss knows his or her "do's and don'ts", he or she either knows that it's almost impossible to run a successful company depending the business on one person only.
Probably the most unpleasant action would be to create departments, give people their responsibilities knowing their value, teach them the philosophy of the company, trust them, but at the same time tell them "well, I don't care what you think, this is my business, period."
What you suggest, is to create the *illusion* of workers powering the company, of giving them freedom and choice of their path. Why then hire managers? Why even hire anyone? In XXI century we can get rid of humans and use robots.
Yes, but then there's this human element - free will, which robots lack. Remember that the labor is not just a commodity. It has feelings, rights, aspirations, arguments, creativity and the ability to foresee. Can you have it all functioning just on your own? Can you create the synergy? I doubt it.
Let me then paraphrase your sentence: "Everybody needs to do his or her best to keep the company running well."