Do You Focus on an Alternate Reality?
Just exactly what is an “alternate reality?” It’s a reality that’s quite different than what you might initially assume. For example, have you ever gotten upset with someone who didn’t respond to your phone calls and seemed to be ignoring you, only to discover an alternate reality – that that person had been out of country or away on vacation at a location with limited or no Internet service?
Or, have you ever had an elderly customer “bark” at you rudely, and your first thought was to “bark” back in indignation with the words, “Let me get someone else to wait on you,” but caught yourself with the thought, “Why is this person so angry? Why am I so peeved with this woman?”
And that’s when you realized that that person reminded you of a relative who lived in chronic pain and whose anger was an expression of her pain. Ah, a possible alternate reality. Instead of “barking back,” you instead responded kindly with the words, “How may I be of service to you?” She told you what was bothering her, and you listened to her explain her predicament and were able to devise a plan to help her solve her problem.
It’s important to remember that there’s almost always more to the story than meets the eye. To make the most of every interaction and change the trajectory of the communication, whether at work, in the community, or at home, consider an alternate reality. With that in mind, exercise General Marshall’s formula for listening that he summed up in three little sentences:
- Listen to the other person’s story.
- Listen to the other person’s full story.
- Listen to the other person’s full story first.
To discover more about how to discover the alternate reality, check it out here. If you remember the late American stand-up comedian, actor, and social critic, George Carlin, you will appreciate his take on an alternate reality when he said this:
“Some people see the glass half full. Others see it half empty.
I see a glass that’s twice as big as it needs to be.”
Go here now to gain a deeper understanding of how putting the above into practice can help you transform your less than wonderful relationships, and, at the same time, lower stress and anxiety and increase recognition and rewards – greater influence, able to make a larger contribution.
