REFLECTION QUESTION
1. Mapping. Think of someone you need to work with, who’s quite different from you. Map the ways in which you’re different – culture, gender, personality, work preferences, educational or experiential background. Go beyond the surface characteristics and try to understand how those differences could add value to your work together. After you’ve developed some ideas, have a conversation with the person to get their own perspective.
2. Bridging. Observe a wide variety of interactions, paying attention to how often people jump to judgment and even blame without considering that there may simply be different perspectives. Try listening to conversations, watching documentaries and movies, or reading commentary and opinion articles. Then pay attention to your own communication. How often do you move into judgment mode without considering all the perspectives? It’s impossible to eliminate this leap – it’s part of what we do as human beings. But it’s important to become aware of it.
