agree to agree...

from simply strategic volounteers...one of the chapters (i cant remember which number) talks about this idea of agreeing to agree...at first, i was confused...i have always heard of agreeing to disagree...and in my mind this means that at the end of a discussion, if you're still not on the same page, then you just say "let's just agree to disagree"...there's no love lost...there's no hard feelings...but you still believe the other person is wrong and you are right...

the tip in this book is a little diffferent...its the idea of agreeing to agree...here's how it works...you come to a point in a discussion where you disagree...you listen to both points of view...and together the team makes a decision...those that disagree with that decision make a conscious, internal decision to agree...instead of assuming that they are right and the other person is wrong, they assume that it is the best decision...instead of just sweeping hard feelings under the rug and saying "lets just agree to disagree" they move themselves internally to a position of "this IS the best decision and I am onboard"...

its important, i think...when i agree to disagree, there is room for pride to get a foothold...there is bitterness beneath the surface...and i cant wait to say "i told you so"...but i've been practicing agreeing to agree...and i gotta say, its humbling...when i insist internally that i agree and i force myself to assume that the decision/conclusion landed on is the best, then i am humbled...cause clearly i just dont understand or dont have all the information...and that is a good place to be...a place for me where i dont know all the answers and i'm not always right..

till later...