Page 94 - Fearless Leadership

The Need to Be Right 81

to the task of handling significant cases. Substantial changes had
been made in personnel in the West Coast office, such as bringing
in a new managing attorney and removing a trial attorney who was
not effective. But even with these changes, the New York office was
unwilling to refer any significant cases until, as they said, “the San
Diego group proved itself.” By refusing to refer cases to the San
Diego office, the New York office was able to be right about its
point of view.
On the other side, the San Diego office had an automatic view
about the New York group. They perceived them as “arrogant, bel-
ligerent, and stubborn” and gathered evidence for this view every
time the New York group refused to send them cases.

The Impact. The lack of confidence and trust resulted in the
New York office sending new litigation files to outside counsel,
who charged substantially more than the West Coast office.
Consulting fees went through the roof because internal resources
were not used.

Lesson Learned. The need to be right always comes with a cost; in
this case the cost was both a financial loss and inefficiency. When
people do not have a way to talk about rigid views and work through
conflict, they default to their automatic listening and automatic
behavior.

THE CONSEQUENCES OF NEEDING TO BE RIGHT

I do not suppose that either of us knows anything really beautiful
and good. I am better off than he is—for he knows nothing,
and thinks that he knows. I neither know nor think that I know.

—SOCRATES (C. 469–399 BC)

Working with leaders who need to be right is like running into a brick wall.
No matter how many times you hit the wall, it remains standing but you
are left in bad shape. Although this may conjure up thoughts about oth-
ers, do not forget that you are the “wall” for many. This leads to the fol-
lowing circumstances: