Welcome to my 3rd blog in support of the coming events at CIPD ACE Interactive – VBI (Velour Based Innovation). How a conversation over post-dinner drinks can grow into an exciting proposition for an all new kind of conference event...
Cris Beswick raises some interesting stuff in his 4th blog (so I’ll have one more blog to make it 4-4 and then he and I can go to penalties...). Corporate yin-yang; being professionally daring and agreeing and disagreeing (in our zone, this'll be whilst learning from each other of course).
That got me thinking about disagreeing. We seem to be hard wired to agree, seek agreement, compromise and agree. Of course there are those who seem to disagree - with even themselves..!
I’ll confess, I don’t relish disagreements – why aren’t people seeing or believing what I see/believe? And then I remembered Malcolm Gladwell’s Blink philosophy. The “thin-slicing” he talks about in the book – the ability for the human brain to cut through information and target the crucial data to make a decision on and rely on “something” and the “I just know” feeling/thought process.
So why WOULD someone feel they could agree with me when they may not understand that I’m acting on an impulse, a vibe or similar? I’d have to explain that and seek their understanding – and there you have it. The reason we all agree or disagree is not just to be right, but could be a little more about the pursuit of understanding.
So when I don’t agree with someone it’s largely because I don’t understand where they’re coming from or where they are at with a particular issue/viewpoint etc. So instead of inflicting my contrary view, I could ask them for more information – e.g. “I have an alternative view on this, but I’m interested in knowing more about why you feel like you do about this issue – please tell me more...”.
Of course, if I’m in conversation with someone and it’s a straight up fact then you can handle it differently – it could simply be a "memory recollection distortion".
So at VBI we’re all about the pursuit of understanding. It’s a complex world we HR people are operating in and there are some views, ideologies and approaches that we simply will not agree with. Understand why others have the views they do, how that does or doesn’t resonate with your own, and help others understand your views and we can disagree and have fun doing so.
One thing I will be hoping you agree with at VBI is a desire to do better; be sharper; and continually improve - in pursuit of an understanding of what makes people and the places they work EXCEPTIONAL..!
See you at CIPD10 - ACE Interactive in the Exhibition Hall - right near the coffee lounge. Come and join Cris and I at 1pm on Tuesday and Wednesday; 12:45 on Thursday. It'll be ACE>> As long as you're up for being ACE that is...
Perry
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