Welcome back to “Irresistible Communication”. Two minutes, twice a week. No nonsense advice on leadership communication. The sales director thought the COO was a coward while the COO thought that the sales director was risking the business. And that's a common situation when opinions clash on an issue we deeply care about. The instinct when we face such a conflict is to ask: “What's wrong with them? Can't they just open their eyes? It's so obvious.” But then again, it makes kind of sense, considering that these people care deeply. They have thought it through. And they have very good reasons for their take. And yet, this instinct leads you down a path of blame and ultimately into a deadlock. And yet, this instinct leads you down a path of blame and ultimately, into a deadlock because of course the others are thinking the same about you. Actually, it's quite likely that there are excellent reasons on either side of the argument. That's why, in situations like these, I suggest a different perspective. The choices you make going out of conversations like these help our team define who we want to be. Given that there's no clear right and wrong answer, anyway, it's an opportunity to define what kind of ride is right for us. What kind of wrong are we not willing to take. So, it's not so much about who is right, because in a way, both likely are right. It's about who we want to be and which path is right for us heading into the future. The easy way out might be to sidestep these issues, hoping they'll resolve themselves. But more often than not, this leads to even deeper problems down the road. If you're the leader, it's way more important to face these conflicts straight on as these conflicts are precisely the kind of conversations that lead you and your team to your true core and fill your journey with meaning. Keep lighting the path and share this with a friend.