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Kendall L. Stewart, M.D. October 22, 2004

Choosing Your Battles Counting the Cost Before Going to War A Presentation for Holzer Medical Center LDI. Kendall L. Stewart, M.D. October 22, 2004. What’s in this for me?. In every organization, there are plenty of opportunities to fight.

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Kendall L. Stewart, M.D. October 22, 2004

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  1. Choosing Your BattlesCounting the Cost Before Going to WarA Presentation for Holzer Medical Center LDI Kendall L. Stewart, M.D. October 22, 2004

  2. What’s in this for me? • In every organization, there are plenty of opportunities to fight. • But little good comes from repeatedly losing battles. • Still, a good many leaders can’t help themselves. • These leaders • Burn up precious energy, • Burn out early, and • Burn bridges and surrender the opportunity for gracious retreat. • Effective leaders choose their battles wisely—and live to fight another day. • After this presentation, you will be able to • Identify three reasons why leaders are inclined to fight. • Describe three consequences of taking on every fight, • Specify three strategies for choosing your battles wisely. • Explain why you should use these strategies, and • Explain how to implement these strategies effectively.

  3. Why do some leaders get into so many organizational fights? • They feel the need to control everything. • They can’t stand to lose. • They are convinced that others are out to get them. • They have learned from poor role models. • They don’t want to be perceived as weak. • Everything is personal to them. • They are jealous and resentful. • Winning is all that matters to them. • And so on.

  4. What are some of the consequences of taking on too many fights? • You will be chronically frustrated. • Your resentful rumination will sap your energy and decrease your productivity. • Your will develop a reputation for unreasonableness. • Leaders will start to avoid you. • People won’t want you on their team. • You will be seen as a barrier to progress. • Others will come to resent you. • You will eventually be marginalized. • You may lose your job.

  5. What are some effective strategiesfor choosing your battles wisely? • Consider the alternatives to going to war. • Consider the worse case scenario. • Avoid impulsive decisions. • View emotional arousal as a warning.* • Seek wise counsel. • Look behind you. (Is anybody there?) • Assess battlefield conditions. • Make sure it’s not personal. • Be the reluctant warrior.* • Count the costs of losing. • Count the cost of winning.* • Consider whether you can survive to fight another day. • Create a pro and con list. • Write down your position. • Encourage opponents to make their case. • Concede quickly and gracefully when it is hopeless. • Seek to understand your opponents’ positions. • Acknowledge and legitimize feelings. • If you must fight, win.

  6. View emotional arousal as a flashing red light. • Why should you? • Encourages you to recognize arousal in yourself and others • Forces you to ask, “Why?” • Reduces the chance of impulsive reactions you will later regret • Minimizes the likelihood of angry retorts and hurt feelings • Alerts you to feelings you and others have hidden from yourselves • Calls attention to vulnerability many leaders overlook • Encourages colleagues to monitor your arousal • How can you? • Recognize your own arousal. • Note others’ arousal. • Mention it aloud. • Ask tentative questions instead of being a snot. • Accept the legitimacy of arousal. • Arousal is always defensive. • Recognize that you have not yet found the best option. • Doing nothing is the best option when you are aroused.

  7. Be the reluctant warrior. • Why should you? • Demonstrates your grasp of organizational reality • Casts others as aggressors • Requires you to ask and answer the hard questions • Forces you to act deliberately • Inclines you to reflect • Demands that you make a compelling case • Casts you as the reasonable one • How can you? • Instead of participating heated exchanges, observe them. • Instead of responding, explore options. • Instead of reacting, reflect. • Instead of revenge, seek remedy. • Instead of “who,” ask “why.” • Instead of personal satisfaction, seek what is best for the enterprise.

  8. Count the cost of winning. • Why should you? • Reminds everyone that the cost is often unacceptably high • Forces leaders to consider less costly options • Demands that leaders consider collateral damage • Promotes reflection on the persistence of emotional scars • Recalls the power and initiative of resentment and longing for revenge • Emphasizes that all organizational wins are only temporary • How can you? • Make a lists of the anticipated costs. • Invite your colleagues to brainstorm with you. • Tell stories of long-held resentments. • Speculate about how you can permit the losers to save face. • Remind you colleagues of the personal cost to them. • Recall histories of previous, costly wins.

  9. What have you learned? • Organizational infighting is common, but it is a risky, low-yield change strategy. • Nonetheless, we indulge in this destructive activity often and with painful, long-lasting results. • Because of the risks involved, it is critical to choose one’s battles wisely. • The strategies covered in this presentation will assist leaders in deciding which battle must be fought, and which battles should be avoided. • Using these strategies will lengthen your career and lessen the stress in your life.

  10. Where can you learn more? • Alison Coomer, Mary Beth Dever and Michelle Kennedy, “Choosing Your Battles: Counting the Cost Before Going to War,” in A Portable Mentor for Organizational Leaders, SOMCPress, 2003

  11. How can you contact me? Kendall L. Stewart, M.D. Medical Director Southern Ohio Medical Center President & CEO The SOMC Medical Care Foundation, Inc. 1805 27th Street Portsmouth, Ohio 45662 740.356.8153 stewartk@somc.org Webmaster@KendallLStewartMD.com www.somc.org www.KendallLStewartMD.com

  12. Whatquestionsremain? www.somc.org Southern Ohio Medical Center SafetyQualityServiceRelationshipsPerformance 

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