Common Misconceptions about Compromise and How the MBA Oath Helps Address Them

I remember looking out the picture-glass window at the glow of the city lights, then noticing my hand shaking slightly as I reached for my glass of chardonnay. I made an effort to settle myself inwardly as I looked across at my client sitting in the booth opposite me. Gwen was a very tall woman, a force-to-be-reckoned-with-executive, CIO of a $4 billion dollar company, and about 20 years my senior. And I had invited her out for a glass of wine because I was afraid of her.

“You know, something big shifted for me after that session last month,” said a friend over dinner. She is a manager who has recently gone through four rounds of layoffs and is struggling with the increased workload, conflict on her team and a boss uninterested in the day-to-day challenges. “Things are still tough, but I have a bigger perspective, so I can see and use the freedoms I do have. I’ve altered my approach, which is leading to better interactions with my boss and less pressure to take home. And it all really stemmed from that two-hour session!”

What did we do for two hours that made such a difference?

Last month, the New York Times featured an article about how critical players in the development of early cellphones recognized the driving hazards – but were so fascinated with their mission that they “never paused to wonder about the risks”. (See Driven to Distraction: Promoting the Car Phone, Despite the Risks).

Earlier this week, a consultant colleague, Jim, shared his frustration with trying to help a client.

The gist of the story is simple: The client company faced an urgent need to increase sales effectiveness, so he and his client contact (a project leader I’ll call George) co-designed a program using the absolute best practices for accelerating learning on the job, based on both of their expertise and years of experience.  They got their leader on board and began developing the program.