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How To Gracefully Disagree

 Happy Friday! I'm joining in a writing link up over at Five Minute Friday. The word for this week is 
DISAGREE.


At first, this sounds like an ugly word to me, I much prefer kind, soothing words such as peace, harmony, love and kindness. But the fact is, we all will face disagreements sometimes.

Disagreement is not always bad, it usually begins with a difference in opinion with another person. There actually can be some opportunities to grow when we find ourselves facing a different perspective. As we face disagreements, it gives us a peek into the heart of another person. The heart of a person is the seat of thoughts, emotions and reasoning.  

Opinions begin in the heart as do our responses. Often the immediate thoughts that occur when one has a differing opinion can be harsh and condemning. When someone is not thinking as we do, we label them different and probably wrong!!  But listening and seeking to understand doesn't necessarily mean we will change our mind, it often opens the door to greater communication.

HABIT 5 of Highly Effective People: SEEK FIRST TO UNDERSTAND, THEN TO BE UNDERSTOOD

If you’re like most people, you probably seek first to be understood; you want to get your point across. And in doing so, you may ignore the other person completely, pretend that you’re listening, selectively hear only certain parts of the conversation or attentively focus on only the words being said, but miss the meaning entirely. 

By listening intently, seeking to understand the thoughts of another and the process they took to get there, we show we care, which can bring a buffer to the wall disagreement can bring up. Once we understand the differing point, we can share kindly, our differing view. 

Disagreement can be used as a tool to sharpen our minds and improve our people skills. It can foster genuine care for others. At the end of the conversation, once both sides have been expressed, maybe no one is convinced the other view was better. But there is a peace and confidence when we agree to disagree and value the relationship over differing opinions. 



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Comments

  1. Amie WillsJune 11, 2021 at 1:50 PM

    Love that concept of valuing a relationship over an opinion. Well said!

    Amie, FMF #16

    ReplyDelete
  2. AndrewJune 11, 2021 at 2:11 PM

    I had been taught that conflict
    was something I should not ignore,
    and it's best to be succinct
    by bringing some C-4.
    But while comp 4 is really cool,
    it's not always the best of ways;
    indeed, I learned another tool
    that calls for high and equal praise.
    It's sitting down and hearing out
    what others have to tell,
    not interrupting with a shout,
    or even a mild yell,
    and then (of all things!) shaking hands
    with strange minds from stranger lands.

    ReplyDelete

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