Sure…we all have opinions and views. It’s what helps support, define, and strengthen our beliefs and our identity. And yet we as a society continue to struggle with GENUINE inclusion and helping others feel a sense of belonging.
Well, here’s a terrific tip and practice that is straight from our playbook. That is, our WALKING THE RIDGE online course – which you should definitely put into your learning and practice.
The next time that you either find yourself in a heated debate or know that you are about to enter into a conversation or digital engagement with a difference of view or opinion, ask yourself this important question:
‘WHAT is the outcome that I want or need to have from this interaction?’
Do I want or need to convince others to agree with my view?
Do I want or need to shoot down other opinions that conflict with mine?
Am I open to compromise…or to be challenged in what I believe as true or correct?
Dale Carnegie had it right when he called human beings ‘creatures of emotion’. At no time can that be truer than during conversations and digital interactions involving our differences of opinions and views. Especially when our beliefs on personal, business, political, and social issues reflects directly into who we are as our own unique individuals.
In a big way, so many of us erroneously look at defending our opinions and views and an extended way of defending who WE ARE…and the quality of our choices and beliefs.
Healthier Expectations…Healthier Engagements
In our human practice of Walking the Ridge, one of the most important aspects of success is to understand WHAT the outcome is that you would like to have from your conversations or digital engagements with others.
At first, you may look at this and say, “Well, the outcomes may not be the same, because the conversation and subjects are all going to be different.”
AHA – but this is exactly what helps to create a healthier practice. To recognize that there CAN and SHOULD be a healthy standard that’s always applied – irrespective of the subject matter at hand. It’s an underlying catalyst to trigger more of our executive brain rather than our emotional brain, in engagement and response.
In Walking the Ridge, we teach WHAT we should all strive for in every single engagement with others, irrespective of subject matter, is for the time of engagement to have listened TO, learned FROM, and shown respect FOR the other person(s) involved.
That’s the baseline…and it doesn’t mean we can’t share our views. It also doesn’t mean we HAVE to compromise, give up, or give in. But it does promote a healthier mindset and treatment of others — while being more genuine is actions that convey real trust and inclusion.
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