If you are a parent to a teenager, chances are you spend at least part of your time in what seems to be an endless “dialogue” about things that “need to be done” or things that “are useless and take too much time.”
If you are a parent to a teenager, chances are you already know that if you consider these “dialogues” ineffective, your partner to these conversations is probably experiencing them as a total waste of time.
And yet, most of us fall into the same trap time after time.
You might already know that one of my mantras is that creativity is based on our ability to see things differently. While we tend to associate Creativity with the development of new products or features or with some artistic work by default, the truth is, we can and should apply Creativity to any area of life. In any challenge we are facing, we can benefit from a Creative mindset – from seeing things differently. And relationships are no different.
[clickToTweet tweet=”#Creative solution to a difficult situation between people starts with seeing things differently” quote=”Any creative solution to a difficult situation between two people starts with the ability to see things differently”]
Creativity in general, and seeing things differently in particular, can be the key to upgrading any relationship. Our natural tendency is to be heard – not because we don’t want to listen to the other side, but because we already know what they are going to say. We know better. We really do. Or at least we really believe we do. And that’s exactly where seeing things differently can be the trigger to a major step forward.
[clickToTweet tweet=”A meaningful relationship is one in which you don’t just influence, but also let yourself be influenced” quote=”A meaningful relationship is one in which you don’t just influence, but also let yourself be influenced”]
Any creative solution to a difficult situation between two people starts with the ability to see things differently. It may require quite some imagination. It is far from being trivial. That is the primary challenge in any relationship, but this is also where the beauty lies.
A meaningful relationship is one in which you don’t just influence, but also let yourself be influenced. You should try to experience the world from the perspective of the other person in the deepest way possible. By doing so, you expose yourself to the possibility that something in you – in the way you think – will change. If this happens – if you let another person influence you at that level – you will establish the ground for a long-term meaningful relationship.
As you practice and develop the ability to see things differently, you will gradually notice that it doesn’t just change the way you see things– it changes the way you see people. Learning to see things differently will change the way you listen to people and interact with them. You will become more curious. You will ask more questions. You will be less keen to provide immediate answers. You will be more empathic. You will understand.
Whether it is a teenager child, a colleague, your manager, or a client: be creative by first trying to see things from their perspective. It’s not easy. It requires ongoing practice. I know I am going to practice it right now. How about you?