Political thought is an interesting topic in conflict avoidance. The essence of a political thought is the firm belief that your way of viewing a situation is the “right” way and that any opposing view is wrong. You become so entrenched with your perspective that you lose the ability to be objective and can actually do harm to your point of view.
I learned an important lesson about political thought in a public speaking course while I was in college. I had given an excellent talk on a political issue of how much money to invest in the space race.
When I got my grade for the talk, the professor complemented me on an excellent layout of the argument for my beliefs. Then he told me that I was “snotty as hell” when addressing questions from the group.
I had convinced the group that my perspective was right, but then I alienated my audience during the Q and A portion and lost support. I had overplayed my hand. If the objective of college is to learn valuable life skills, I got my money’s worth that day.
Respect Contrary Opinions
In advocating your position, make your case as strongly as you can. Fortify your points with data and examples, but do not jump on someone who expresses a legitimate question. Be kind if there is some push back, because there is always a particle of truth, or you could be wrong. If you really do disagree with the statement made by another person, just agree to disagree. Don’t become bellicose trying to defend your position. You are not likely to change the other person’s perspective and tend to undermine your own credibility.
Free Bonus Video
Here is the link to a short video on Political Thought:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMba0W1Z-Uw
Bob Whipple, MBA, CPTD, is a consultant, trainer, speaker, and author in the areas of leadership and trust. He is the author of four books: 1.The Trust Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals (2003), 2. Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online (2006), 3. Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind (2009), and 4. Trust in Transition: Navigating Organizational Change (2014). In addition, he has authored over 1000 rticles and videos on various topics in leadership and trust. Bob has many years as a senior executive with a Fortune 500 Company and with non-profit organizations.