We are clearly living in a time that is very divisive, with very polarized views on almost every subject. I am often asked by students and executives how best to operate in this environment.
My approach is to take the time to truly understand as many perspectives as possible, from as diverse a group of people as possible, and then decide what I personally believe is the best alternative. As usual, this requires the desire to develop a balanced perspective and to “seek to understand before I’m understood.”
While one can obtain some different perspectives through different media sources, I personally find it remarkably helpful to listen to the perspectives of as many different people as possible.
And when I say different, I really mean different. I believe I have the opportunity to learn something from every person I meet. For example, when I arrive at an airport and jump into a taxi, I often immediately engage the driver in conversation. While some students question how much I can learn from a cab driver, in my experience these discussions can be amazingly insightful. On one such occasion, when my cab driver told me he was from Afghanistan, I asked him for his perspective on the current global political situation. He shared several interesting insights which gave me a much broader perspective than I had developed from reading the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times. When I thanked him for his insights and commended him on his depth of knowledge, he revealed that after immigrating to the United States he had earned a master’s degree in political science from Johns Hopkins University!
Another example happened just yesterday morning. I stopped at a store to make copies of a few articles, and the clerk was a very friendly young fellow. As we engaged in conversation, he informed me that he had immigrated from Venezuela to the US with his parents and was currently attending a local college. When I asked him about the current political situation in Venezuela, he provided me with a fascinating background, as well as his perspective on the major causes of the current political crisis. What amazed me were his insights regarding leadership. He explained that the senior political leadership lacked values and a desire to do the right thing for the Venezuelan citizens. The resulting political corruption has made it very difficult to create an environment that could be successful. I literally felt it was a discussion that could have been part of one of my Kellogg leadership classes. I thanked him for his insights, and we exchanged contact information. I plan to call him to continue our discussion.
Personal interaction is truly a potent force, and we each have the opportunity to learn something from every person we meet. It really is remarkable how much mutual value can be created simply by taking the time to listen and learn.
Listening to our brothers and sisters who lead ordinary lives gives us a real perspective. Harry gives us a powerful lesson in listening with your heart. It’s continuous education of the human at its best. Thank you Harry.