July 9, 2018: Our I CARE values of Integrity, Compassion, Accountability, Respect and Excellence guide our actions and help create an environment where mutual respect and trust flourish.
What happens when we disagree? Buddha is quoted as saying, “hatred is never ended by hatred but by love.” Misunderstanding is never ended by an argument but by tact, diplomacy and a sympathetic desire to see the other person’s point of view.
Here are eight strategies to use to keep a disagreement from becoming and argument:
- Welcome the disagreement
- Control your temper
- Listen first
- Look for areas of agreement (what do you have in common?)
- Be honest
- Promise to think over the other person’s ideas and study them carefully
- Thank the other person sincerely for their interest
- Postpone action to give both of you time to think through the problem
Have you considered what the impact of saying “you’re wrong” can have on your work and personal relationships? How can you disagree without telling the other person they are wrong? What if we tried saying, “I thought otherwise, but I may be wrong. Let’s examine the facts together.” What impact would this approach have on another’s willingness to collaborate? Be open to the possibility that a disagreement may become one of your greatest learning moments.
– Janet Leatherwood, CNO