“Life is not always black and white, it’s a million nuances and shades of grey.”
Ridley Scott
At the beginning of this year, I began to use Twitter more actively. To say I was shocked by some of the takes of users on various issues would be an understatement.
“How can anyone reason like this?” I would think. I was oh so quick to attack and point out just why my opinion made sense and theirs didn’t. Nigerians, being quite violent given the frustration in the nation, would reply equally violently and what began as a simple conversation would spiral very quickly.
Over time, I began to interact with calmer individuals who took their time to explain their points of view and the thought processes through which they arrived at their conclusions to me. These conversations brought me clarity on the need to be objective in my view of situations, and more importantly, to make conscious effort to see things from the perspectives of others. There are about 7.6 billion people on Earth, all of whom have different realities. Why narrow your thinking to the context of yours alone?
{Read: How not to Care About What People Think of You as a Teenager/Young Adult}
I find it truly amazing how two people could view the same situation under the same circumstances, yet interpret it differently from their various points of view.
Whether we realize it or not, we all have perspectives to situations that have been developed by our experiences and interactions over years. These perspectives greatly shape our views of situations, and it could be quite frustrating when others don’t view things from that same p
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In relating with or leading others it is imperative that we learn to empathize, putting ourselves in the shoes of others to understand the perspectives from which they understand issues and relate it to ours.
More than understanding others, it helps broaden our horizons of knowledge and see where we might actually be wrong.
When in positions of leadership, it is necessary to understand both majority and minority opinions and make important decisions not based on personal bias, but according to unbiased logical reasoning from various points of view.
Don’t be quick to disregard an opinion today. Be objective and try to understand others. If you have to argue a point, be logical. Your ideologies don’t have to be set in stone.
Have there been any situation where you have had to reconcile your views with others and see from their perspectives? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!
Teens Meet Outreach 