Recall that extra jolt of adrenaline to the brain … when you jump into compelling discussions … and leave with novel discoveries that brighten your day.
Should war be used as a tactic for change? Is health care fair? Will a new government support small business? What topics do you discuss with genuine questions in mind?
Even controversial topics can extend your thinking and improve your workplace ... under certain conditions. A neuroscientist would explain it through raised levels of serotonin or dopa
mine … and other brain chemicals that fuel curiosity and help you to roll out wider viewpoints.
It’s rarely easy to find answers to tough questions that impact business in measurable ways. Especially when the media tends to tout one view and ignore facts on its flipside. Have you seen it?
You’ve likely also noticed how opposing views enable people to make up their own minds … based on a wider pool of details. It's because issues that concern business most ... have at least two sides. Furthermore ... to promote different viewpoints is often to drive discussions for growth. It happened to me yesterday.
In an NPR studio I had the keen pleasure of attending the live TV show A View From the Hill where Scott Fybush and Andrea Seabrook discussed everything from politics to parenting. Much like Bob Smith does at NPR’s 1370 ... they pried open the topics as wide as the
Rather than hear what advertisers pay to hear only … NPR angles cameras and mikes across the chasms … so you catch a glimpse of the ins and outs of congress … hear about costs and cautions of health care … and weigh the ups and downs of management tactics.
As I left the WXXI Studio it struck me that we can easily miss the brainy side of business topics such as financial management … ethical practices … or workplace wars. You feel it when radio announcers fill our air waves with one-sided squabbles or emotional attacks. You miss opposing views most when controversies arise ... and when your own thinking gets squashed or dismissed unfairly. Has it happened where you work?
It takes a heap of tone and a dash of smart skills to engage opposing views. Regardless of the topic … a knack for showcasing in-depth opposites … is learned and polished with practice. NPR leads the way in presenting facts that tell both sides of any story they tackle. Do you?
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