A matter of perspectiveOnce upon a time there lived a very happy, very heavy fellow named Pat. His perspective was that he was "a trifle undertall", but his many friends laughed at this and called him Fat Pat. So he began walking to lose weight. He walked from his home to the office and back again. He walked to the shops. He walked with his wife. He walked the dog. Fat Pat walked everywhere!
Fat Pat lived beside a busy road and would always use the pedestrian crossing with the flashing lights. Cars would eventually stop for him, even if he sometimes had to caution drivers and wave a waggly finger at the "Pedestrians have right-of-way" sign as a reminder.
Flat Pat.
The moral of the story
Understanding the other person's point of view is a better first step than "being right." Pat's determination to prove he was sooo right
We become involved in confrontation for one reason - we disagree.
Seeing only one side of the story makes as much sense as stepping in front of a speeding truck - someone's bound to get hurt. It makes more sense to understand their perspective and their Wotuwants®. If you're seeking less conflict in your life, ask how the other person sees issues. A great question to ask is, "How do you see the issue?" It's one of the key points good negotiators use to resolve conflict and an important part of the 5 Point Method.
As for Pat? Well, gentle reader, he was carefully folded by the courier driver and posted home in a very large envelope...!
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One day at the pedestrian crossing, he became very annoyed at the speeding traffic that wouldn't stop to let him cross. Fat Pat was determined to show who was right. So he stepped in front of a 10-tonne mail truck to make it stop and... do you know what happened?