Learn To Respect Another's Thought Process
Great post by Gary about respecting another's point of view Make sure to stop by and post on his blog. It's not always about you, the listener. In fact, it's typically never about you. It's about that person's viewpoint based on their experiences.
When my girls were growing up, whenever they had disagreements with other kids, my first reaction was to tell them, "It's not about you." It's about what's going on in that person's day, life, marriage, childhood. Whatever that person is experiencing is first and foremost on their agenda.
Same goes with our clients. Don't take it personal when they comment in a different direction. Listen, stop, and then ask how they came up with that idea/opinion/point of view. The answers might surprise you!
Sometimes close friends, family, and clients and associates will SHOCK you with a viewpoint or opinion or behavior that is TOTALLY different from your point of view. Whether in the HOT waters of poitics or religion or just the way they treat people I am a firm believer in respect of another. Unfortunately that respect is not often reciprocated when they realize YOU are different in some areas than them too. Not always a MUTUAL tolerance going on out there. But from your side going one level deep under the covers try this:
Learn To Respect Another's Thought Process.
What that means is you have not lived in their shoes. You did not have their parenting or lack of parenting in many cases. You have not had their path of experiences, joys, failures and setbacks, happiness and extreme heartaches, successes and devastating disappointments.
If you can learn more about their ROAD you can see where they are coming from.
You don't have to agree with everyone on everything. Just appreciate PEOPLE AS PEOPLE, and respect how they are a sum total of where they came from. Never apologize for who you are either. We all contribute to each other, and maybe your model will influence them in their continuing journey as well. RESPECT others always, even if some days you don't feel the love coming back with how you can be treated.
You are polite and nice to others not because they deserve it, but because YOU are nice.
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