http://www.speakstrong.com/newsletter/2006/05/03/to-beer-or-not-to-beer/ By Meryl Runion and SpeakStrong, Inc. Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:14:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 http://www.speakstrong.com/newsletter/2006/05/03/to-beer-or-not-to-beer/#comment-39 Lee Beaumont Wed, 03 May 2006 20:07:58 +0000 http://www.speakstrong.com/newsletter/2006/05/03/to-beer-or-not-to-beer/#comment-39 This is good. Several years ago I was asked to lead a business meeting between to contentious groups who had to come to a difficult and complex series of technical agreements. To emphasize the importance of using a logical argument rather than “shouting strength” to decide the issues, I began the meeting with an arm wrestling contest. I described the first issue to be decided and asked each group to select a representative. I then had these two representatives arm wrestle right there in the meeting room to decide the outcome of that issue. Both groups cheered on their representatives and got rather boisterous. This is clearly illustrated the absurdity of the “decision by force and noise” approach that too often dominates contentious meetings. We then proceeded to use an orderly “criteria based” decision making process. Whenever the discussions started to get too heated, I asked if anyone wanted to decide by arm wrestling. They got the point and returned quickly to a rational discussion. This is good. Several years ago I was asked to lead a business meeting between to contentious groups who had to come to a difficult and complex series of technical agreements. To emphasize the importance of using a logical argument rather than “shouting strength” to decide the issues, I began the meeting with an arm wrestling contest. I described the first issue to be decided and asked each group to select a representative. I then had these two representatives arm wrestle right there in the meeting room to decide the outcome of that issue. Both groups cheered on their representatives and got rather boisterous. This is clearly illustrated the absurdity of the “decision by force and noise” approach that too often dominates contentious meetings. We then proceeded to use an orderly “criteria based” decision making process. Whenever the discussions started to get too heated, I asked if anyone wanted to decide by arm wrestling. They got the point and returned quickly to a rational discussion.

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