A co-promise is always better than a compromise

It's obvious that many citizens of planet earth are disillusioned with traditional politics regardless of persuasion right?

Just think Brexit, Trump, Emmanuel Macron, and Theresa May's disastrous decision to go to the polls and lose the "unlosable" majority. The common denominator for me has been ego's; the trouble that always follows ego's that are out of control, and how change follows ego's not out of control (Macron in my view).

Interesting take on Trump by Henry Mintzberg here. 

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte bucked the trend and I suspect Angela Merkel will too. These two both appear to have their ego's in check.

I was pleasantly surprised with Oliver Stone's interviews with Vladimir Putin. Critics have been savage like this article for example. I have no way of verifying what Mr. Putin said. I did feel I was listening to someone who knew what he was talking about and that he was decent human being. I didn't detect an unhealthy ego.

You might be shocked with a Westerner saying nice things about Putin. All I can do is say what I feel. Your response is entirely up to you of course.

I heard refreshing things no Western leader has said in the Putin interviews. I have no way of verifying what Western leaders say either.

I do know that there's always more than one side to a story and a house divided against itself never achieves anything remarkable.

In my own country Australia I shake my head pretty much on a daily basis. If the press is even half right then missteps, mumblings, and mayhem reign. the resulting compromises politicians make means mediocrity is the normal result.

A common sense solution (what say you?)

Do whatever it takes to gain a co-promise. In my view it's always better than compromise.

This book by the FBI's former chief negotiator Chris Voss will help you.

There's much that's excellent in the book. I particularly like the fact that being a remarkable negotiator has much to do with being a remarkable human being!

Chris is scathing of compromise. He says:

"I'm here to call bullshit on compromise right now. We don't compromise because it's right; we compromise because it is easy and because it saves face. We compromise in order to say that at least we got half the pie. Distilled to its essence, we compromise to be safe. Most people in negotiation are driven by fear or the desire to avoid pain. Too few are driven by their actual goals. So don't settle and - here's the simple rule - never split the difference.

Who will you become? What will you do next?

Be remarkable.
Ian