How to carry through every idea
Meetings are known to reveal a person’s character. Generally speaking,
there are four personality types in meetings:
- The silent type says nothing, is thereby usually proven right, and
always thinks he or she knows better.- The opportunist is enthusiastic about every suggestion, especially
those made or favoured by the boss.- The ‘master of the obvious’ announces the obvious with great
conviction, as if he or she had just thought it up.- The nay-sayer’s purpose in life seems to be to pull apart other people’s
suggestions.So how can you get a suggestion past these hellhounds? A particularly
effective method seems to be the Salami Tactic. Do not put your
suggestion forward all in one go, but serve it in small, easily digestible
slices instead. This portioning method has two advantages: first, the fear
of a huge task or bold idea is reduced; second, a measured presentation
allows the other participants to explore the idea themselves and think it
through further. And, above all, this tactic does not allow the other
participants to recognize your overarching intention. This makes it harder
to fight against it. If there are ideological rifts, it is better to take small,
isolated steps and concentrate on the matter at hand, not on the intended
outcome.
And what do you do if someone tries to salami you? Simply ask: ‘Is that
everything?’ Keep on asking until everything is on the table. Only then
start negotiating, setting one slice of salami off against a slice of your
own.
The origin of the term is unclear. Some sources say that in Hungary
Szalámitaktika was the name given to the gradual takeover of power by the
Communist Party.
Disassemble a truck into many small parts and a child can carry it.