CRISTIANI CASE SUMMARY

Alfredo Cristiani assumes the presidency of El Salvador in the midst of turmoil.

This case allows us to look at how one leader uses power and influence to turn
the situation around. Although Cristiani has legitimate power derived from his
position as president, his success stems from his ability to empower others.

Systems, be they national, organizational,

or otherwise, consist of opposing
perspectives, needs, goals, etc. that must
be continually balanced. Unfortunately,
the opposites are often politicized. As
Argyris point out, people often operate out
of an unconscious rule that says they must win at all costs. This leads to
posturing, image making, and demonizing the opposing interests. This is
precisely what was happening in El Salvador. There was conflict between
"wealthy landowners and impoverished peasants, between military corps and
civilian elites, between the doctrines of capitalism and socialism" (p. 237).
Although the civil war in El Salvador represents an extreme example of the
dynamics that occur when people operate under the rule of win-at-all-costs, this
dynamic is prevalent in organizations.

A leader has his or her own interests and when the leader is in a position of
authority, as was Cristiani, it is not uncommon to use one's power to further
one's own interests. This is an abuse of power. The leader's responsibility is to
further the goals of the system. Cristiani favored dialogue, listening, and coming
to a settlement. He seemed to understand the need to respect, validate, and
balance the many perspectives. The ability to focus on the needs of the system
rather than one's own needs takes a good deal of self-awareness. It also takes
an ability to understand the dynamics of the system. Cristiani seems to have
both abilities. Instead of reacting to the November 1989 offensive by the FMLN
with anger and a resolve to use his power to crush the opposition, he saw it quite
differently. He genuinely wanted dialogue with the opposition and sent an
intermediary to communicate this to the FMLN. "The go-between reported back
that the guerrillas were thinking more about insurrection than about negotiation"
(p. 257). Although Cristiani would not push his side over the opposition, neither
would he allow them to push theirs and defeat of government. Nevertheless, "he
understood their need to find out for themselves [that the only solution was
dialogue], as they would in the November offensive" (p.
257). Cristiani understood the dynamics of the system
and as the offensive was taking a heavy toll on both
sides, he saw the situation as an opportunity to move
the system forward, to balance the opposed interests
through dialogue. Oshry talks about mobilizing energy.
One might say the FMLN was making a power move
and creating energy that had the potential to move the system forward. Perhaps
without such a move El Salvador would still be a country with "death squads."
Cristiani was able to take the energy that had been created and use it to move
the system in a positive direction—the mark of a true leader.

How was Christiani able to influence the various factions in this system? Where
did his power come from? As both Hill (1995) and Cohen and Bradford (1989)
point out, to effectively use power and influence others, one must understand the
power dynamics and politics of the system along with the interests of all parties.
Cristiani seemed to be a master at understanding the needs of all involved. He
understood that he "had to understand what they want, what we want, and how it
is possible to come together" (p. 252). His past as a businessman involved in
labor-management negotiations helped him realize that even though both sides
may initially want to "destroy each other," he needs to "look beyond zero-sum
solutions to areas of mutual gain" (p. 252). He said, "Defining the problem is key
to solving a problem. What you have to learn is that the other guy has a different
definition of the problem" (p. 252). Understanding others is the first step to
influencing them.
Cristiani had a vision that drew people to him. He firmly wanted “a government
based on the principles of 'liberty, honesty, legality, and security.'” He never
wavered from his vision and it guided him throughout. His vision was a common
goal that was for the good of the system; it was not a personal goal that
furthered the objectives of one side over the other. The fact that he consistently
acted to further this vision built trust and built up his power to influence all
members of the system. Cristiani was also optimistic and hopeful. He
generated hope among the people that obstacles could be transformed into
solutions. This optimism and hope is a powerful source of influence if backed up
with actions.

While in office, Cristiani developed an oratory style that was soothing. Like
generating optimism and hope, this also was a source of influence. Cristiani was
very careful with the language he used. He continually created images of
togetherness with his use of the word "we." The use of language is another
important tool that a leader uses to influence others. Something as simple as
the use of the word "we" can have a large impact on people. It symbolizes
inclusion and a willingness of the leader to balance all interests. Again, it must
be backed up with congruent action.

Cristiani also showed great ability to influence those on his team. This is vital to
achieving his overall vision of bringing the country together. If he cannot
influence his own team, he will certainly not be able to fulfill his dream. His
sources of power and influence are similar to those already discussed. He
demonstrated trust in his people and delegated authority to them. He backed
this up with action. When they came to him to solve problems he would say,
"Please never come to me for answers. You are enough of an adult to solve all
the problems" (p. 255). Cristiani provided support and coaching but did not use
his power to coerce them to do things his way. He listened to his team and
insisted on making decisions by consensus. He understood their concerns, e.g.,
a concern that a settlement might mean dissolution of the armed forces. His
focus on settlement and conviction that dialogue would lead to mutual
agreement meant he could assure his team that dissolution of the armed forces
was not an option. Furthermore, he asked for their input about the demands
being made by the FMLN. By understanding the concerns of his team and
acting accordingly, he freed up energy for his followers to support him.

Cristiani also made a couple of power moves when the situation called for it.
When secretary general of the United Nations, Pérez de Cuéllar, was about to
leave the negotiation for a vacation, Cristiani told him "If you leave, I'm leaving
too" (p. 259). Everyone felt that the agreement had to be signed under Pérez de
Cuéllar or "the informal gains might unravel" (p. 258). Cristiani knew the
agreement was important to the secretary general and that his leaving might put
it in jeopardy. Certainly, the thought of walking out after all he had done to get to
the point of an agreement must have provoked great anxiety. Nevertheless, it
was a move Cristiani knew he had to take to guarantee success.

In a symbolic move that helped ensure the settlement would last, Cristiani
"walked over to the guerrillas and shook the hand of each" (p. 250). Although
this move was not intended to move the system, it was intended to solidify the
system after it had moved. In a way, this was a very clever power move on
Cristiani's part. It was a move that helped him solidify his vision of peace for the
long run.

The currencies that Cristiani used were mainly from the personal and
relationship categories of Cohen and Bradford's model. He offered acceptance
of all parties and provided understanding as he listened to them and tried to
understand, accommodate, and balance the differing needs. He showed
appreciation and gratitude and involved all parties in the new government as well
as the process of achieving a settlement. He also had a deep understanding of
the system and a sense of timing that allowed him to mobilize energy in the
service of his vision. He not only had the power to influence people, but the
ability to take action at the right time. Finally, his strong self-understanding and
sense of values kept him from abusing the power of his office as did his
predecessors.

We also see that Cristiani had system power. He understood the dynamics of
the system and had the courage to act. He helped bring the system to greater
self-awareness as he encouraged each side to understand each other. He was
able to use the tension in the system and harness the energy to move the
system forward to greater heights. Instead of letting what seemed like a
hopeless situation get the best of him, he recognized the possibilities. He saw
the system as a whole, understood its processes, and rose above his self-
interest to act with courage and take advantage of the opportunities that he saw
to create a better country.