Opinions, opinions, opinions. An opinion can be handled in three ways. Either you agree or you don’t agree or you just have to little fact/knowledge in the case to be able to agree or disagree. An opinion is nothing more than a statement, based on experiences in a certain context/subject. It’s a perception made public, expressed in words, pictures, video, music, etc. It can be negative, positive and it can feel like criticism.
Often opinions tends to be taken as criticism whereas the “other party” goes into a defensive position and starts to look at the other person as a grumpy and complaining individual. Why?
Opinions, if you don’t agree to them, they are there to be questioned.
Yes, of course it’s easy to reply with something even more destructive and soon it’s becoming a fight. But what if you look at the opinion as something being questioned? Look at it as you are in the same team; and you don’t share the same thoughts so instead you try and school each other in how you both see it. Try and learn from each other instead. Most likely you both will learn something from it and perhaps even reach consensus. When ever possible I try to see opinions as something being questioned. And I try to see it like this:
The world would be terribly boring if everyone shared the same opinions.
So the next time I have an opinion about something. Don’t take it like I’m grumpy and complaining. See it as I’m questioning you and I’m inviting you to educate me.
Cheers,
//Daniel