Hello Reader,

On Monday, I shared the heavy cost of the Zero-Sum Illusion. Today, I want to share a story from the other side of the spectrum. A story about what happens when the tension breaks.

But first: please stick around to the end of this email - I have a special thank you to our new backers, plus introductions to two other authors whose work on innovation and leadership you need to see.

And now back to...

The Powder Keg

In 1994, during South Africa’s first democratic elections, I was sent to a voting district in KwaZulu-Natal as a "special advisor."

The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) had decided to participate in the elections at the very last minute, and the region was on a knife-edge. When I arrived at the counting station, the atmosphere was suffocating.

It wasn't just political rivalry; it was a total breakdown of trust. The Counting Officer had walked out hours earlier. Police - who were supposed to be providing external security - were wandering around inside the station. Party observers, counting staff, and security forces were eyeing each other with deep suspicion.

You could feel the racial and political history in the room. It was a gridlock of fear.

The KISS Party

Then, amidst the shuffling of papers and the monotonous calling of party names as each paper was counted and held up for observers to see, a vote was called out for the "KISS" party (Keep It Straight and Simple).

It was a tiny party. But the sheer absurdity of the name in that high-stakes environment did something unexpected.

The room erupted in laughter and air kisses as the vote was called.

For a moment, the lines between the police, the exhausted staff, and the vigilant party observers dissolved. The tension didn't vanish forever, but the laughter created a bridge. It reminded everyone that beneath the uniforms, the rosettes, and the fear, we were just people trying to get through the historic days and nights.

An Insight

We often think that to survive high-pressure environments - whether in a boardroom or a national crisis - we must be armoured and serious. We think "professionalism" means suppressing our humanity.

But those days and nights taught me that Positive-Sum Leadership often starts with the ability to find a moment of shared humanity in the middle of the chaos.

Join the Bridge-Builders

I am writing The Zero-Sum Illusion to capture these stories and the tools behind them. It is a guide for anyone who wants to stop conflict from winning.

If you haven't joined yet, I would love to have you with us.

🙏 A Special Thank You

To those of you who have already joined the campaign this week - colleagues, friends and other supporters - thank you. Your support means the world to me, and it is the fuel that will help get this message into the hands of leaders who need it.

📚 Community Corner: Two Authors to Watch

I am currently on this publishing journey alongside a cohort of fascinating leaders. Part of breaking the "Zero-Sum Illusion" is realising that we rise by lifting others. Here are two other forthcoming books I am excited about (and hope to feature on a livestream soon!):

• A Poet in the Workplace by Yash Chitale Yash is exploring how to bring harmony and rhythm into leadership. If you believe (as I do) that we need to bring our full humanity to work, check out her campaign here.
• TIME + SPACE = BREAKTHROUGH by Patricia Prewitt Patricia is a former Director at Google who led moonshot projects at Google X. She is writing the playbook on how to achieve consistent innovation. In a world obsessed with efficiency, her work on creating "space" for breakthroughs is vital. Check it out here.

Let's build bridges, not walls.

Best wishes,
Grant

P.S. If you want to chat about how these ideas apply to your own work or leadership, reply to this email. I’m booking 15-minute virtual coffees and would love to meet you. Book it directly in my calendar here.