We rather admire the ability of the tough negotiator; the one who secures a favorable outcome at the last minute when the other side blinks first.
Perhaps that’s a component of a versatile skill set; part of the rough and tumble of public or private life, strangely somehow contributing to the bond between the people involved. It certainly sometimes seems that way.
And yet…
Brinkmanship precludes the collaboration that might lead to a creative solution; an outcome that is more than the sum of the parts. If the last minute is all we ever have, how can we generate something new?
Perhaps we can aspire to something more than brinksmanship.
Perhaps the mark of the true leader is taking us beyond confrontation and creating the space for new solutions to emerge.
What do you think?