Seeking to understand
You know those moments when as soon as you say something, you know it came out wrong?
In group, we have a practice we call a “do over.”
It’s an opportunity to freeze-frame a moment, coming back to it and replaying it, with the opportunity to say things the way we intended. It’s a chance to make sure we are understood.
To allow others to do this, we need to give them the benefit of doubt: assuming that their intentions are honourable, even if their communication may not be great.
I wonder what would happen if our guiding principle became “seek to understand?”
What a different place the world would be.
Warm regards,
Belinda Seagram, Ph.D., R. Psych.Executive Director, Landing Strong
