Don't avoid enemies - avoid the people that make them.

Read time: approx. 2 mins and 49 seconds, ish.

Russia’s aggressive invasion of Ukraine is rapidly becoming as momentous in human history as any previous event in Russia’s and Europe’s history. As significant as World War 2.

We live in fear of the very real danger that this unwanted conflict could escalate still further.

I’m convinced that the issue is not Russia. Or Russians. The problem is the lack of democracy in Russia.

Democracies are far from perfect. But my assertion is, in democracies what you get are differences of opinion. Differences that should be embraced, possibly even celebrated.

In dictatorships what you get are enemies. Dictators will do anything to maintain their regimes and sustain their wealth and power.

As a commentator on business and leadership, my thought is that this observation is as true in the running of companies as it is apparent to the running of countries.

I’ve had the misfortune to work with people who are perfectly comfortable (even enjoy) declaring their ‘hatred’ of colleagues. People who make enemies. My belief is that a mindset capable of making enemies has no place in the modern workplace.

The positive news is, contemporary leadership excellence is now totally committed to diversity and inclusion. It is not a nice-to-have option – inclusivity is fundamental to optimum strategic thinking and execution. What inclusivity means in practical application is the acceptance that people might go about things differently to the way you do, and that this has the potential to exponentially improve outcomes when this virtue is harvested appropriately.

Entrepreneurial enthusiasm is often mischaracterised as ‘hot-headedness’, uncompromising, and excessively passionate. Sometimes those stereotypes are legitimate. Business success demands huge effort, which is difficult to invest in something that you don’t care about. But in addition to conviction and persistence, the repeat behaviour common to successful entrepreneurs is their openness to try unusual ways to achieve desired outcomes. Ways that are not native to incumbents too entrenched to change – ways that are commonly resisted and even ridiculed.

Innovation is hard. It is especially difficult to pursue change democratically. I’m not advocating that businesses should be run as democracies that are overly dependent on majority consensus and over participation in deliberation and referendums. A topical risk within current corporates is the institutionalisation of ‘group-think’. 

But what this international conflict highlights more than ever before is the need of:

• Transparency
• Authenticity
• Compassion
• Listening

Which all seem in short supply to aggressors seemingly intent on persecuting a bloody campaign in the Ukraine.

I’ve always argued that success in business is relatively easy to materialise if you’re prepared to be an uncompromising b*stard. What’s challenging is delivering business success with kindness and compassion. This is where you’ll find your advantage and your competitive edge. Resorting to aggression, confrontation, humiliation are clear indicators of leadership malfunction.

In business, even the competition is not your ‘enemy’. Few companies can build and grow a sector on their own – multiple players bring with them multiple forces of investment to persuade buyers to buy. Your job is not to annihilate rivals – your job is to provide a service that is better than your customer’s alternative options. For businesses ambitious to scale-up, the real enemy is your customers’ prerogative to do nothing.

Out-witting your enemy requires extraordinary performance, resilience, and determination. As such, enemies can be a force of motivation and energy that drive performance. The good news is, we don’t need actual real enemies – it is perfectly possible to create the performance benefit with our imagination if we stop and think. It’s best not to make enemies.

Embracing collaboration, diversity, and inclusivity is good business.

Avoid haters and enemy makers.