Daily we see the repercussions of extremism, both in terms of personal tolls and business liability. Certainly terrorism wrought by extremists has a high personal and business cost: following the recent tragedy in Brussels, many airlines took a significant hit to stock price. Recent examples of extremism (discrimination masquerading as "religious freedom") passed as law in Georgia (but vetoed) and in North Carolina. National businesses were quick to condemn, recognizing not only the financial repercussions but the unfairness to individual lives.
And business, in this case, is absolutely right. Rarely, if ever, in history have we seen businesses, or individuals, prosper in extreme environments - whether they be left or right.
Extremism causes polarity, not collectivity - and that's a bad thing. But let's bring it down a level or two - have your ever been in a company in which there was an extremely righteous and unyielding view on how to do the business? Also - not good for business. Extremists within a team are usually fighting for a single point of view - and great companies know they must function from multiple points of view. Fundamentally, the extremist is out of contact with this world truth.
The extremist is also unwilling to bend. . .and nature clearly shows that the unwillingness to adapt usually results in breakage.
To the extremist - compromise is a bad word. Compromise should be a very good word - meaning that multiple points of view have been duly considered to arrive at a collective decision for the overall good of the majority.
Extremists often are very aware of the blockage that those on the opposite extreme cause, but are blissfully unaware of the logjam their own actions create. Or worse yet - they justify the logjam they create as some sort of higher purpose.
Whether it is a business point of view within a company, or an extreme political point of view, extremism not something to be worshipped, but rather an unproductive evil to be eschewed. Extremism is not good for business or people.
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