Seeing the Stand
How can you see what your “enemy” is saying at such a level that you have the power to call them to stand with you? This seemingly impossible task is not only possible, it’s quite simple.
Here at Vision Force, and inside of Visionary Mind Shifts, we make the distinction between a position and a stand. If you’re still struggling to grasp this distinction, think of it this way… underneath every position is a stand.
Consider that every single person, even your enemies who you think you understand, are heroic human beings standing for their values. Now, you may totally disagree with how they are going about standing for their values, and you probably judge them for it. Your position is that they are wrong, immoral, evil, selfish or (insert your label here). From this position, you cannot see them as human beings, and they cannot see you. To protect themselves from your judgments, they form and protect judgments of their own–they form and maintain their own position, from which they cannot see you.
It doesn’t matter how smart you are, your power to create the best results is severely limited, because you lack the kind of vision that could make all the difference.
The key in us being able to move forward individually with powerful vision AND in us being able to co-create with the other side lies in our ability to so clearly see the others’ stand that we are deeply moved by it. As we are moved and come from this place, the other side feels seen and then can open up to see us as well. From this place “miracles” can happen, where previously compromise was the best alternative.
It’s a subtle yet incredibly powerful distinction and understanding it is not what makes the difference. Successfully applying it makes the difference. You must experience what it is like to first see the positions you didn’t even realize you had, then break through them and then experience the kind of vision that happens as a result. That level of visionary training is not going to be found in leadership workshops, self-help programs, wealth mindset courses or any such thing.
You will find this revolutionary training is powerfully provided at Vision Force’s iStand Experience, otherwise known as the Vision Force Boot Camp.
At this very moment, Vision Force is searching for 30 to “be the ones” to walk a new path and lead the way for humanity. If you think this might be you, apply here:
Everything here is made possible by our Patrons!
I work at an Ag Tire Plant. Management-Union relations have been particularly acrimonious there. During the last strike which lasted over a year, management hired replacement workers and sent letters of dismissal to striking workers. That strike was ultimately settled, but striking workers returned to work with replacement workers and union workers that crossed the picket line to go back to work before the strike was settled. Employees now are working without a contract during a contract negotiation. Foreign competition threatens viability of American production and is cutting market share. To say that there are tensions and conflicts in the work place is a bit of an understatement.
Until recently the only things I enjoyed about that job were the paycheck and the days off – 12 hour schedule 3.5 days off per week. However, I have begun to love my work. What changed? I did. I had a glimmer of this silly idea that there must be some way to remain viable in a changing world and did a lot of self study looking for a solution. It started slowly and evolved. To create a solution, the conflict that permeated the shop floor had to lessen. I started violating policies that could best be summarized as, “The beatings will continue until moral improves.” I noticed that following company policy which were in their entirety punitive led to resentment, retaliation, and reduced productivity. Often following these punitive policies resulted in whatever was being punished increasing rather than it being resolved.
So at first I simply started ignoring the policies. I wouldn’t write up employees for “infractions”. Productivity started to improve. My second evolution was: I started complimenting good behavior instead of criticizing bad. At first it wasn’t really a conscious change, just something that seemed natural. I had three areas I supervise, and had always micromanaged. I started giving people more responsibility and letting them handle it, and complimenting them for there successes and asking them for suggestions if something didn’t work out. Then let them implement their ideas. The employees on my shift blossomed, doing jobs that I had done previously much better than I had done them.
I had a powerful eureka experience where I saw the inherent value inside myself and others. The value of creating peace instead of conflict. I realized the potential going to waste by the wars created through authoritative management styles, and I started talking to employees openly about my insights.
When I had to get employee signatures on the sixty plus pages of policies that all ended with a 4 step punishment program, I encouraged employees not to read them and openly stated that the policies were depressing. The policies were based on the misperception that management ran the plant. I explained that all of them knew their jobs much better than I and certainly much better than the people who wrote the policies.
I asked if anyone thought that they were our most important asset. They laughed, I asked if they thought anyone in the company thought they were our most important asset, they rolled their eyes and accused me of drinking before work. I explained that not only was I cold stone sober, I for one thought that they were our greatest asset. I pointed out that I couldn’t run their machines. I didn’t know how, plus I have only one arm.
I explained that every one of them knew 10 ways to reduce scrap without talking to anyone else. All of them know how to increase their production 30% immediately, if they wanted. They knew every dangerous shortcut that they shouldn’t take but did, because it was easier and they got away with it last time. They knew the weakness of their machine, which latch breaks repeatedly, roll pin that gets replaced weekly etc, and could do more than a team of fifty engineers to improve the design of their machine to make it work better. In short, management spends hours in meetings trying increase productivity, reduce scrap, and increase safety, and the key was to get employees to want to accomplish those goals and to participate in that effort.
Then I told them that of course they wouldn’t tell me about their ideas, because I was the one armed jerk who wrote them up last month for taking longer than a 10 minute break. I started giving them respect. I started asking their opinion instead of giving them directives. I started openly questioning rules and the way we had always done things. I sent a 13 page paper on using non-violence, respect, empowerment, and trust to increase employee cooperation to the salary training officer. I gave the summary to the plant manager’s secretary to read. I gave a copy to my boss and sent the summary to the plant manager with my boss’s prior approval.
I told engineers and schedulers who asked when we would tread a certain tire that I didn’t schedule that any more, my employees did, and had them ask the employee. I thanked people for their efforts. Instead of criticism, I handed out praise. I trusted and believed in my people. When someone openly violated policies I went so far as to look the other way, but strive to find them doing something good and thank them for it.
One employee, a service driver who I had written up several times was a particularly hard sell. I started taking the inventory to him every day at the first thing on the shift. I was telling him by my action that what he did was one of the most important job in the plant. I caught him doing things we needed done and thanked him. I gave him a copy of my report I’d sent to the salary training officer suggesting non-punitive cooperative management style.
By not being critical and quick to get angry, I found that conflicts that arose led to new ideas that worked better than the tired old compromises and directives I’d reached using an authoritative management paradigm. Better solutions than either party originally would have asked for. Despite no contract resolutions, I have not experienced any of the sabotage that usually accompanies such negotiations. Productivity has gone through the roof, and people actually smile at work now.
Things got a lot better, go figure.
Hey Jim, this is really great. You’re starting some kind of revolution there!
Are you applying for boot camp? http://www.visionforce.com/bootcamp/30/
-Michael