What Are the Net, Net Consequences?
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The basic task, for men and women facing gray area prob-
lems, is managerial. It is working on process. This means
trying to put aside initial feelings and intuitions about what
the right answer is and focusing instead about how to work
with and through other people to develop an answer.
Process does slow things down. But this is an advantage,
not a drawback. It reduces the danger of quick decisions made
in isolation. Time lets you and others think, listen, disagree,
and rethink. It can let unconventional options emerge. Time
lets people work together and carefully imagine second- and
third-order consequences. And time lets initial, emotional
reactions subside. Gray area issues demand patience, care, and
diligence—and these are often critical, given the challenge of
grasping the net, net consequences in gray area situations.
Get the Right People in the Room
A crucial part of getting the process right is having the
right people, with the right experience and expertise, fully
involved. Who are these people? The answer, of course, var-
ies from situation to situation. Some gray area problems have
to be decided quickly. If time is short and the stakes are low,
the right process is a brief, candid conversation with a sensible
colleague. At the other end of the spectrum, there are gray
area issues like the one Aaron Feuerstein faced, with layers of
complex strategic, organizational, and human issues. These
problems require a wide range of judgment and experience.
Who belongs in the room, when you are dealing with a
really complex gray area issue? Obviously, you want people
you know and trust. You need the views of individuals who
are honest, take their responsibilities seriously, and have the
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