Busting Myths About Polar Opposites - Leonardo da Vinci and Niccolò Machiavelli

In 1502, Leonardo da Vinci and Niccolò Machiavelli, two polar opposite men, cultivated a magnificent dream to change the course of Florentine history together. These two brilliant and enigmatic figures set on an ambitious engineering scheme to construct a canal to take the Arno’s river water out of course just below Florence, allowing a more navigable channel to Florence, and starving out Pisa, ending the war. Though both men had a similar goal in mind to end the war, their mindsets were very different.

·         Leonardo da Vinci: Leonardo was a gentle, kind, loveable person. He was generous, minimalist, and a sparkling conversationalist. He did not value money, and people were often drawn to him.

·         Niccolò Machiavelli: Niccolo was a cruel-hearted individual. He was ruthless, a liar, devious, and entirely shameless. In general, he would much rather be feared than loved to get what he wants.

This fantastic account of Renaissance history was collaborated by two entirely different people. They came together, despite their differences and world views, and made an impeccable team. But how?

Myth 1: Partners who are radically different will always disagree, and disagreement is a bad thing.

Stepping back into modern-day, managers often hire employees based on similarities. They like hiring people they know will see eye to eye with them and is a safety net for adversity. But the problem with not hiring outside the box is the very fact that they will agree on everything. When someone agrees with everything you say and do, then there is no room for growth, operational improvements, or innovation. You need someone who can fill in your blind spots and disagree with you in a respectful way that can foster productivity.

Disagreeing, being the "bad" guy in the office who speaks up, and bringing new ideas to light is not bad when done in a healthy, professional way. In fact, these are the very people who are radically different from you are the ones who will help your business grow. According to this Harvard Business Review article and Amy Gallo, that constructive push back is essential. As long as you are not picking disagreements for the fun of it, and have specific examples with viable, executable solutions to back up your claims, this is a good thing. 

Myth 2: Polar opposites will never get along or live in harmony.

There has been a long, leading question on if introverts and extroverts can work together well due to being so different. Spoiler, they can, and we are proof of that here on this podcast. But diving into the research, including pieces from Jennifer B. Kahnweiler, the author of The Genius of Opposites and the advocate for the ABCDE method, proves, even more, it is possible. 

·         Accept the alien;

·         Bring on the battle;

·         Cast the character;

·         Destroy the dislike;

·         Understand that Each cannot offer everything.

Yes, introverts are more internal humans. They like to spend time along, prefer solitude, and thrive at being an individual. And yes, extroverts enjoy talking, engaging with others, exhibit flighty behavior, and love to share. But this does not mean that they cannot work well together. If both sides respect one another, accept the differences, appreciate what one another has to offer, and have a similar core goal (like Leonardo da Vinci and Niccolò Machiavelli did with ending the war), it can lead to extraordinary results.

Myth 3: You will always know your ideal polar opposite partner when you see one. We can gage a good partner.

Finding your ideal polar opposite is not as easy as it may seem. But there are several ways, according to a Medium article by Elise Hymes that you can narrow down the hunt and find someone who works well with you, despite being your polar opposite. Some key ways you can do this by finding someone who is:

-          ego-less;

-          appreciative, curious, and generous about the same or similar topics and goals as you;

-          listens to understand;

-          flexible;

-          gives and expects trust;

-          a disciplined worker;

-          self-motivated and inspiring;

-          respectful; and

-          engages in healthy competition to empower you to do and be better.

Final Thoughts

Even though Leonardo da Vinci and Niccolò Machiavelli made an excellent team, they failed. The river theft scheme was a bust due to the contractor not following the directions, being attacked due to the war, and miscalculating how deep the trench should have been. Though that didn’t work, Machiavelli still managed to defeat Pisa in 1509 after transforming a group of 400 Florence farmers in 1506 into victorious soldiers.

Leonardo went on to paint the Mona Lisa, (with maybe a second one as well by a pupil) with that very river they tried to steal as the backdrop.

Though these two men were different, it is proof that polar opposites can work together, and do so very well. If we learned anything from this, it is that we can avoid being encouraged to death. We can prevent that through politeness, and it is okay to be the bad guy in the boardroom and to challenge and disagree. If you want the relationship to work, accept your partner’s alien ways, have mutual respect for each other, give and receive trust, and always remember that no matter how different you are, when opposites collaborate, they can move mountains. Or you know, potentially steal rivers.

Written by Todd Lemense presented by Joe Anthony