Navigating Differences: Finding Common Ground to Build Closer Relationships

In a society where differences tend to get emphasized, embracing common ground is one of the strongest strategies for leadership. Whether you are managing global alliances, working with a disparate team, or negotiating across borders, the strength to identify common values and goals can establish deeper, more durable bonds.

As leaders, our success relies on being able to see our similarities and centering our focus there, not where we differ. Celebrating our differences and harnessing our differences as strength is what distinguishes great leaders from all of us.

The Significance of Common Ground

While we cannot eliminate differences, looking for common ground helps us to highlight where we are in agreement and not get stuck on where we differ. Common ground is not eliminating differences or being in denial about differences in culture, political leanings, or ideology. It is more about recognizing differences, even as we identify the common values and goals that unite us.

When leaders highlight such common values, they build trust and respect—both of which are critical to any effective partnership or collaboration. Leaders who prioritize commonality build a context where ideas are circulated openly, communication is free, and collaboration is encouraged.

Consider the international business environment: where partners from various cultures are aligned by goals and values, they are much more likely to have a fruitful, successful collaboration. This common vision, driven by shared values, is the cornerstone of deeper, more durable relationships better equipped to endure even the most tumultuous global market changes.

Shared Ground and Cross-Cultural Coordination

In cross-cultural collaboration, common ground is not achieved by eliminating differences, but by using differences as the basis for collaboration. Each culture has something to contribute to the table, whether it is a fresh perspective, an innovative method, or another way of thinking.

The intent is not to reduce differences, but to leverage differences to drive collaboration. Leaders must see the strength of diverse teams and instead of attempting to fit everyone into one cookie-cutter mold, empower the mixture of differing perspectives.

Specifically, this is critical for cross-cultural collaboration. For instance, working with Japan, you may have to establish trust before actually discussing business, whereas in America, individuals will try to get to the bottom of the issue more quickly. All of these differences are likely to have a culture-related cause and affect how teams work on projects and negotiate. By prioritizing common values like success, innovation, and collaboration, you foster a working environment in which both parties feel valued and are willing to collaborate.

An international technology firm with operations in Asia, Europe, and the U.S. will have to balance innovation at speed with relationship development. Those teams that see past the differences in one another's communication preferences, all the while maintaining the commonality of facilitating innovative solutions, will fare better than will those teams which cannot transcend cultural differences.

Steps to Finding Common Ground

Finding common ground is not only a theory—both leaders and managers must work at it every day. Leaders can try the following steps to seek common ground within teams and alliances:

Recognize Common Values

The initial step to seeking common ground is to determine the values which all share. It may be commitment to excellence, innovation, or community. Whatever it is, the intention is to align everyone around what they care about. As the leader, you have the opportunity to steer the discussion by prompting team members to share what is important to them and about which they care most. This enables you to establish clear alignment around common objectives.

Actionable Tip: Begin each project by sitting down with your team members or partners to discuss what matters to them. A common commitment to excellence or sustainability has the power to bring together teams of people with different cultural backgrounds.

Respect Differences

While finding common values is key, it is equally necessary to honor and accept differences. Opinions, working style, and culture are bound to differ. Instead of attempting to iron out differences, leaders must accept them. This involves maintaining an environment where every person's opinions are heard, even if they don't see eye to eye.

Actionable Tip: As a leader, demonstrate openly the value you have for diversity. Through active listening, collaborative decisions, or encouraging all ideas to be heard, respecting differences brings better collaboration.

Promote Inclusivity

Establishing an environment for inclusivity is necessary to make everyone feel like their voice counts. Inclusive leadership is not merely about embracing different ideas but actually making space for the ideas to surface and to be heard. It’s about having open communication and making opportunities for all members of the team to contribute equally.

Actionable Tip: Establish frequent feedback loops, and invite team members to provide frank opinions. Appreciating and acknowledging everyone's contribution will help to foster collaboration.

There is no one-size-fits-all

When leaders are able to establish a vision with wide support, how to realize the vision becomes easier to see. Shared vision gives people a common sense of purpose beyond culture and mobilizes working towards one goal. In cross-cultural teams, the shared vision must be versatile to fit working styles but concise to keep everyone working toward one goal.

Actionable Tip: Create goals together as a team. Apply methods such as vision boards or team retreats to enable everyone to understand how they individually contribute to the larger context.

Enhancing Ties through Shared Ground

The greater our common ground, the better our relationships will be. Respect for diversity and a common purpose build healthier, more productive relationships better equipped to endure difficulties and expand in a positive manner. Cross-Culture Connections teaches leaders to bridge the gaps between cultures and forge harmony from diversity. By looking at the common values which bring people together, we enable leaders to create teams not only appreciative of their differences but flourishing due to differences.

No matter if you're managing a team of domestic professionals or managing an international partnership, common ground is where to focus for long term success. When we shift from focusing about the differences which separate us to leveraging the commonality which unites us, we are able to build a future where collaboration has no borders.