Interpersonal Expertise Tip: Appreciating (and Utilizing) Differences
by Dr. Brian Higley | 1 comment
So often, we can make the mistake of wanting everyone in our lives to be exactly like us; this desire can cause consistent problems in our relationships. After all, surrounding ourselves with others who are exactly the same as us is a sure route to boredom and/or stagnation! Some say that the answer is a more “tolerant” attitude toward those with differences, which can imply that we should simply put up with others’ differences so we can all survive together.
It is our position that true appreciation of differences (rather than simple toleration of them) comes from a realization of how useful our collective differences are to our collective ability to not only survive together, but to thrive. This Interpersonal Expertise Tip focuses on identifying how our differences can be turned from annoyances or experiences to be tolerated to opportunities for satisfaction, achievement and/or growth – for all people involved. (more…)