One of the great burdens of being observant is that you get to hear a lot of blunt assertions that beats both logic and emotions. And when questions, we end up in a baseless argument that does nobody any good.
The solution? I don’t have one. But something I’ve learned over the years is that it’s better understand my own position, question it’s premise and validity, before I go ahead and share my thoughts. Yes, this takes some time but I’m at least able to defend my position while facilitating an exploration into what the other person is thinking.
I find this exploration missing from most conversations, particularly, in the board room where it’s needed the most. Why? Leaders have to be bold enough to acknowledge the possibility of grey areas that exist between the polar-opposites that often get all the attention. This exploration of the grey area will help them not only make better decisions but also get them closer to the truth.
But more often than not, we lack the courage to face the truth and end up rationalising why such an exploration would be a waste of time. And then we wonder why the hell can we not communicate better? Is that even logical?