See through the eyes of understanding

See Through the Eyes of Understanding

 

The sad fact is that so many people look for the worst in others. They see them through the eyes of their own anger, fear and limitation. If someone shows up late for a meeting, they impute a negative intent to that person, saying, “they are so rude”. If someone makes a mistake, they grumble. If someone miscommunicates a point, they silently say, “she’s a liar”. Real leaders are different. They look for the best in people. Jack Welch, the former CEO of GE, said it so well: “the most important job you have is growing your people, giving them a chance to reach their dreams”.

 

I want to be clear. I’m not suggesting that leaders avoid reality. Not at all. They make the hard calls when they need to. I’ve mentioned in an earlier chapter that the best don’t worry about being liked – they just do what their conscience tells them is right. What I’m really saying is that the best leaders see through the eyes of understanding. If someone is late, they try to get to the truth. May be there’s a time management problem to coach around or a sick child to help. An error on an expense account could be the result of a poor process in place or the employee’s disorganization. The miscommunication might be all about the person communicating having weak skills in this area – an opportunity to improvement.

 

Today, rather than looking for the worst in people, I encourage you to look for what’s best within them. Sure some people really are inconsiderate or dishonest or uncaring. But in my experience – and I’ve worked with a lot of people over the years – most people are good. Few human beings wake up in the morning and ask themselves “what can I do today to mess up someone else’s day or undermine my credibility or ruin our businesses?” Most of the mistakes people make are the result of a lack of awareness. Most people just don’t know better – so stop taking it so personally. And here’s the payoff for you: As you seek out the good in people, not only will they want to show up more fully for you, but you will see more good in your world

 

“Few human beings wake up in the morning and ask themselves: “what can I do today to mess up someone else’s day or undermine my credibility?”