I've just agreed to write a fourth book for the American Management Association. 

The topic was inspired by my friend, Marilyn Laurie, who passed away recently.  When Marilyn received the a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Institute for Public Relations, she gave a typically timely and provocative address.  

The entire speech is worth reading, but the line that struck me most was that one of the toughest challenges we face as a nation is "to grow our capacity to deal with 'the other' -- the immigrant at home, the stranger abroad."  

It seems to me that one of the most critical business skills of the 21st century is understanding people who are not like us.  Business leaders need to acquire the wisdom of dealing with "the other."  They need to become "other-wise."

Globalization, media fragmentation, demographic change, political polarization, the rise of non-governmental organizations, and the growth of online communities have created publics so unique they constitute new “others.”   They are first and second-generation immigrants, acculturating to their new home and developing traditions from both cultures.  They are non-traditional families born of continuing sexual and cultural revolutions.  They are single-issue activists, passionate about rights they believe are being trampled or groups they consider ill served.  They are strangers in far-off countries with their own histories, values, and customs. They are people of strong principle who disagree with the business community’s values and question its true motives. They are “the other.”

Their influence has grown along with their sense that they stand outside the mainstream.  They are not passive observers of business; they are passionate advocates for their point of view. And they demand accountability.  Companies have never been under greater third-party scrutiny. 

Businesses have no choice but to deal with these new publics, not only because they threaten a company’s operating flexibility, but also because they represent a new opportunity.  The companies that learn how to engage “the other” productively will gain a competitive edge in developing new markets and in creating products tailored to these new publics’ needs.  Conversely, those that act as if everyone sees things just the way they do are asking for trouble.

Marilyn was excited by the prospect of collaborating with me on this new book and I was looking forward to it too.  We talked about it on the phone several times, but neither of us realized we had so little time left.

So I'm tackling the book without the benefit of her direct participation.  But one of the biggest lessons I ever learned from Marilyn was the value of collaboration.  As smart and creative as she was, she always believed that she could be even better if she tapped into the talent of the people she worked with.  That produced a lot of meetings, which some admittedly barely tolerated.  But I think it also resulted in better ideas and better execution.  

I plan to use this blog as a means of involving others.  I'll be posting research and draft thoughts here as I work on the book.  And I'm inviting you to contribute your own thoughts and reactions.  

I can't offer much in return, but if I use any of your contributions, I'll send you a free copy of the book when it comes out.  Thanks for considering it.  

  

 

Comments

[Esther Silver-Parker]

Dick,

"Others", those who are different from us -- different culture, different ethnicity, different perspective, different sexual preference, difference body type, difference age, different socio-economic scale, different faith -- is a hot topic. This subject is at the sweet spot of conversations between and among leaders in corporate America, NGOs, faith-based institutions, US Armed forces, homes, schools and other forums. It is at the opposite end of tribal behavior and clicks. Much has been written about these two topics; so, I am delighted that you are tackling this subject--"others.". Given the global society that is our neighborhood, we need critical analysis on "others." I am reminded of an incident in a store that was part of a chain I worked for and underscores, "other". The store is in one of the most diverse communities in the US. There were customers who only wanted to be served with the left hand. That was their custom. Our associates' reaction was not "How do we better understand the customs of this particular consumer group?" but, the reaction was, "What's wrong with these people?" Needless to say, serious intervention was required.

Esther Silver-Parker