by Dale Furtwengler

Steps 1 and 2, Contributory Negligence and The Persuasion Myth, provide a solid foundation for helping you create more opportunities.  Step 3, Suspend Judgment, builds on that foundation by helping you find alternative solutions that meet the needs of all involved.

The problem

Here’s a fairly typical situation that demonstrates the power of suspending judgment. 
One of my clients employed a young man who was an exceptional performer.  He was given the opportunity to take charge of a crew.  He was given the proper training and was coached by his supervisor.  We expected some decline in productivity in his crew but were surprised to learn that productivity had fallen by half. 

Despite ongoing training and coaching, results did not improve during the first month.  During a meeting with his supervisor, the young crew chief said, “I’m not comfortable performing at that level.” 

Quickly!  What’s your impression of this young man? 

Here are the answers I get most often from my audiences:
-He’s in over his head.
-He’s not competent.
-He’s not confident.
-He’s not a leader.

All of these responses have one thing in common:  They’re judgments about this crew chief.  These judgments shape our thinking, our approach in dealing with him and the results we get. 

Given the responses listed above, we’d likely begin to work with him on ways to overcome his deficiencies.  Of course, he’ll resist; we don’t like to admit there is something wrong with us—something that needs fixing—especially when we’ve already been the beneficiaries of training and coaching.

A counterintuitive approach

The supervisor used a different approach.  First he said that he respected the crew chief’s candor and that producing at that level wasn’t comfortable for him. 
Then he said, “I’m OK with you and your crew producing at a lower level as long as all of you understand that we can’t compensate you at the same rate as the other crews.”  He made no judgment about the capabilities, desires or interests of the crew chief or his crew.  Instead, he simply stated an economic reality:  He couldn’t compensate them at the same rate as the others.

This supervisor went on to offer three choices to the crew chief:
1.  Bring production up to the expected level and continue to receive normal pay.
2.  Have the crew accept a pay rate commensurate with production.
3.  Go back to his former position, at which he excelled, at his old pay rate.

A fourth—unspoken—option was for the crew chief to find a work environment better aligned with his interests.  This option is always on the table in situations such as this but is often left unspoken because it’s obvious.

This supervisor crafted three solutions, all of which were acceptable to him; then he allowed the crew chief to choose.  Why?  Because when someone makes a decision for himself, it’s always the right decision.  If it later turns out not to be the right decision, he has no one to blame but himself.

That’s the power of crafting multiple options others can choose from.  The ability to craft those solutions lies in our ability to suspend judgment as this supervisor did.  So how do we make Step 3 a habit?

Creating the habit

It may not be obvious, but I’m being precise in my language when I say “suspend” judgment.  I didn’t say “avoid” judgment.  Avoiding judgment is impossible for us as human beings.  We’re not wired that way.

Our emotions carry with them a natural byproduct we call “judgment.”  In the example above, frustration with the young crew chief causes us to form the judgments that he is incompetent and in over his head and that he lacks self-confidence and leadership ability.  We can learn to suspend these judgments.  Here’s how:

-When you feel you’re having an emotional reaction to a situation, pause a moment and recognize it for what it is:  pure emotion.
-Remind yourself that everyone has a right to choose what’s important to her and how much time, effort and energy she is willing to expend to get it.
-Craft two or three choices the individual or group can choose from, and make sure all the choices are acceptable to you.
-Allow the person or group to make their choice.
-Hold the person or group accountable for the choice they’ve made.

In the example above, the young crew chief decided to go back to his former role and accept the pay reduction.  Three months later he became incensed when his new crew chief got a raise and he didn’t.

The supervisor reminded him that it was his choice to return to his current position and that he knew the pay scales weren’t the same.  Then the supervisor crafted two new choices:  The young man could get comfortable with the differences in pay scale or he could find other employment that would satisfy his needs.  He chose to leave.  That choice was fine with the supervisor.  He could ill afford to have an employee who couldn’t remain comfortable with the choices he made. 

People enjoy working with people who don’t judge them—who, instead, offer them choices to meet their needs.  That’s why Step 3, Suspend Judgment, makes us attractive to others.  That’s why others will want you involved in their opportunities, which, in turn, will create new opportunities for you.

You’re almost halfway to becoming invaluable.  In Step 4, Seeing Similarities, we’ll explore ways to see solutions that others don’t see and communicate ideas in ways that are easier for them to embrace.  Until then, enjoy those new opportunities!

Dale Furtwengler has developed the Invaluable Leader program series to help businesspeople apply counterintuitive thinking to business situations.  For more information, visit www.furtwengler.com/theinvaluableleader/ or call 314-707-3771.