31. Everyone's Viewpoints Make Sense to Them: Why Listening Beats Arguing Every Time

Ever found yourself in a conversation where someone's perspective seems completely wrong to you? Where your first instinct is to correct them, challenge them, or prove your point? What if that instinct is actually blocking you from real connection and genuine influence?

This solocast explores a powerful encounter on a flight that challenged everything about how we engage with differing viewpoints. You'll discover why everyone's perspectives make perfect sense to them, even when they seem completely at odds with your own beliefs. Understanding this changes everything about your ability to connect and lead.

Through a candid story about a conversation on US politics and South Africa, I'll show you how curiosity beats critique every time, and why meeting people where they're at without judgment opens doors that argument slams shut. This isn't about agreeing with everyone – it's about expanding your own perspective and building the kind of understanding that creates real influence.

You'll learn:

• Why your first instinct to correct someone's "wrong" viewpoint limits your leadership
• How to listen for understanding rather than listening to respond
• The difference between proving your point and improving your viewpoint
• Why meeting people where they're at is essential for genuine connection
• How expanding your perspective gives you greater awareness of the complex world we're leading in
• Practical ways to ask questions that deepen understanding rather than create defensiveness
• Why curiosity and judgment can't coexist – and which one actually creates influence

Whether you're navigating difficult conversations at work, trying to understand different perspectives in your community, or simply wanting to become a more effective communicator, this episode will shift how you approach every interaction where viewpoints differ.

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