President George W. Bush used to call Bill Clinton for advice—and his message was consistently to get out of your own way

After George W. Bush succeeded Bill Clinton in the White House, the two didn’t drift into political distance. In fact, during Bush’s second term, he called his rival about twice a year to talk through the challenges he was facing.

“He asked my opinion,” Clinton recalled in a video that’s recirculated on social media. “Half the time he disagreed with it, but I felt good about that. I thought that was a really healthy thing.”

For Clinton, the exchange reflected a broader principle that applies far beyond politics...