We often are baffled by other people’s behavior. And we rush to ascribe the causes. Yet in trying to figure out why she did this or he did that, we frequently end up misjudging them.
The truth is that we simply can’t know for sure what makes another person tick. (No, not even the people who are closest to us.) We cannot tell all that drives them, how they see themselves and the world, and who they are going to become tomorrow.
When we see another doing something we don’t understand, let’s pause instead of rushing to explain, judge. Let’s honor them, believe in them more than they believe in themselves, and seek win-win. They will notice the shift we’ve made. When they do, we will have opened the doors to more collaboration, fun, and results.
In your corner,
Mike
PS: We can learn enough, though, to become effective bosses, employees, partners, or co-workers. We can become better friends, more supportive family members, and better caring mates. Without needing to know or judge why, let’s understand their preferred ways of dealing with people, tasks, and information. Let’s look for evidence of their talents and the things they value. And let’s tune our approach to engage and collaborate more effectively with them.