Tag: understanding

Working together, could that be better?

Posted on by philipdodson


This is something that the human race has been doing since its very existence.

Yet, amazingly, we seem to taken a turn backwards rather than getting better. 

The key missing ingredient is our lack of skills in listening. No surprise given that it’s not on the school curriculum. There are no listening lessons. 

Listening with the only purpose of understanding the other person would dramatically improve working together. 

Many times we listen for a gap for when we can speak, jumping in at the first pause. 

Often we kind of listen at the same time as we are formulating our response and that’s while the other person is still speaking.

At times we do not listen at all. We have evaluated in advance, without hearing a word, what the other person is saying will be of no worth.

Imagine the change to work if we just listened, as in with our ears and not our mouth. Evaluating after the person has spoken, using questions to further clarify the other person’s views. 

It’s just an opinion

Posted on by philipdodson
‘Mud on the wipers’ by Philip Dodson

We all have our worldviews, our opinions, our thoughts and our beliefs.

They are just that, ours.

Be open to others and their views and opinions and I would never want to live in a world where there is only one accepted voice. Debate and exchange of views in a positive forum can only be beneficial, we need to understand before we can hope to influence others.

However, do not lose faith in your opinions, do not be fearful of voicing your views and your beliefs, doesn’t mean you can not modify them. Stick to yours, be proud of them, be passionate about them and stay true to your values. Often, we allow the strong opinions of the critic to dominate us, to seed doubt, simply because of their behaviour or dominance.

After all other people’s views are just that, opinions, not right, not wrong, just an opinion.