Our differences are our strengths.
Today I was contacted by three co-founders who are in the middle of a crisis of their relationship. The business is going well, but they feel that if they do not resolve their conflict, this will be the end of their company. So they have a lot to lose, and unlike many others, they have asked for external help.
When describing the problem, they say that one of them is always coming up with new concepts, jumping from one idea to the next one, talking to a lot of people, and bringing in tons of opportunities.
All the above drives the other co-founder crazy. He likes to finish things up; he is detail-oriented; he is going at a slower speed.
They irritate each other and fight.
I told them two things:
- Guys, you are great, the simple fact that we sit together on a call gives us hope that you will come out of this crisis stronger. Because it takes guts to contact an external consultant with such an intimate problem. And it shows your willingness to cooperate.
- Your differences probably had brought your company where it is today because you need the power of a creator to come up with ideas and the power of the administrator to bring those ideas down to earth and make them work.
Now it remains to integrate these two powers into a single one.
