The Buffalo Nickel Approach to Leading People

Are you old enough to remember when the BUFFALO NICKEL was in circulation? Or maybe you’ve seen them in display cases at a coin shop or in a friend’s collection. They fascinated me as a kid, the picture of a proud Native American on the obverse and a mighty buffalo on the reverse. How easy it was to examine one side, then flip the coin over and look at the other side.

I seriously doubt if you have a BUFFALO NICKEL in your pocket, so look at the two sides of the coin in the picture below:

Each image is related and connected to the other, but each is distinct from the other. After all, the Native American depicted on the nickel was a human, a member of a class of the most successful naturalists of all time. In fact, one of the adjectives sometimes used to describe Native Americans such as the one depicted is “noble.” The buffalo however, is a beast, not self-aware like the Native American. In fact, the buffalo was the prey of the Native Americans and was used to provide everything from food to clothing to utensils.

On a single BUFFALO NICKEL we find these related but different symbols residing as two sides of the same coin. The truth captured by this metaphor applies to you and to everyone you meet. It’s so easy to see only one side of anyone with whom we come in contact. We tend to quickly categorize people into one slot or another and fail to see the complexity that makes up each individual. We see only one side of the coin. When eventually—and inevitably—the other side of the coin appears, we are surprised and may react inappropriately. We may feel we’ve been betrayed when the coin flips and we see the other side. However, like the BUFFALO NICKEL, everyone has both assets and liabilities. They have talents, disposition, and skills that are wonderful and are easily appreciated. Moreover, with each asset comes the companion, connected liability.

Assets and Liabilities are Connected

Do you like the way that colleague is quiet and respectful, never contributing to problems in the workplace? The other side of the coin may be a worker who is passive and non-productive or who feels helpless in the face of professional challenges. It’s unethical to accept the quiet, cooperative behavior and not delve deeper to see if there is another side to this person that needs to be encouraged or developed so they may be successful.

How about the colleague who is always interrupting, always trying to wreck the presentation or brainstorming session? Could it be that this person is one of the more intellectually gifted colleagues in your company but is bored and not sufficiently challenged? If you classify that person’s behavior as rebellious (or, more politely, as disruptive) you may overlook positive attributes that can be recognized and nurtured. In fact, if you identify and nurture the other side of the coin, the disagreeable and non-productive behaviors may disappear.

Like the aggressive way in which that colleague volunteers and takes charge of projects? They may also be demanding and not easily accept your explanation of things or your leadership. It’s unfair to embrace the obverse without recognizing you also get the other side of the coin. They cannot be separated from each other.

In Summary: How This Relates to Leadership

Leaders who put forth the effort to think deeply about their workers so as to recognize and nurture their assets and–at least temporarily–ignore their liabilities, may find the positive traits and behaviors grow and finally overshadow diminishing negative behaviors.

by Dr. Richard Porr
richporr

copyright  © 2009