This week, a colleague shared a Blog entry from HarvardBusiness. The author suggests that when we have trouble with the way people react, the problem may not be them but us and our expectations. One of his points is that “instead of getting frustrated with other people, learn their rules of engagement. If you pretend each person is from a foreign country you don’t fully understand, you’ll be more open to accepting him or her.” I enjoyed the entry, which reminded me of a mentor who once suggested I put a mental stamp on some people’s forehead that said “irregular”. That way I wouldn’t go into any interaction with them expected them to react or behave as I would anticipate. That advice has helped me for years.
Graham Cochran