Whenever we hold stubbornly to one side only of an issue, or defend our side in opinionated debates, we tend to rewire for argument, speaking down to others, or criticizing. Similarly, when we hear and articulate insights from the opposite perspective, we condition more mental dendrite growth to expand personal views based on facts and insights from another side.
In the investigative fashion of good researchers … we can condition our brain’s basal ganglia to explore opposing viewpoints. Think of the flame wars that could be prevented by fewer demands for one-sided opinions…. In spite of more peace, and an interesting array of ideas, which come seeing a thing more clearly or by exploring its opposite side, though this smart skill is rarely easy to cultivate.
Consider controversial topics which too rarely find supportable opposite views
| TOPIC
| One view
| Opposing view
|
| 1. War
| Necessary for freedom
| Promotes more violence
|
| 2. Equity Policies
| Benefit far too few
| Benefit all when applied
|
| 3. Political program
| Builds community
| Erodes community
|
| 4. Outsourcing
| Good for economy
| Bad for economy
|
| 5. Depression at work
| Treated with drugs
| Treated without drugs
|
To make use of the brain’s acumen for seeing supportive facts on both sides, in ways that help us make better decisions … we learn to learn from views on the other side. How?
Here are a few smart skill strategies that can reboot your brain for deeper encounters with people who’s perspective differ from yours:
1. Articulate the opposite view in ways that others can see supportive facts that affirm their own views.
2. Ask questions to hear more genuinely why people come from another side from the one you hold.
3. Refrain from expressing your own views at times, in favor of hearing the opposite views discussed without intimidation or interruption.
4. Repeat back insights and ideas from the opposite view to show how you are considering and authentically valuing a person’s different perspectives.
5. Genuinely thank or encourage a person for some new insight you learned from an opposite view to yours.
6. When you do share ideas on the side that you support, hold back emotional or highly charged responses, and instead offer precise facts that support your main ideas. Let the facts tell your story and share what you have learned from listening carefully to the other side.
Do you see new takeaways here – simply through engaging the other side of controversial topics, as a way to reboot your brain for new ideas that teach you and value others?
» Smart Skills for a Project Manager's Success from BrainBasedBusiness
Anthony Mersino asked - over at EQ4PM - What makes project managers successful?Along with Anthony, I too am interested in the question of what makes project managers successful. I’d like to add a few words to Anthony’s challenging question ... [Read More]
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