Let's get real.

None of us wakes up in the morning looking to sabotage someone's day. And, if you do, then you really should find another hobby.

Yet, how often do we find ourselves at odds with someone in the workplace - maybe it's a customer or another leader - and we wonder why they're trying to make our lives miserable?

There is that old saying that "we judge others on their behavior, but we ask others to judge us on our intent." And that is simply not fair.

So, my challenge to myself and all of us is this: the next time I find myself at odds with someone else, I need to move BEYOND assuming positive intent, and actually acknowledge it out loud. And if I can't articulate the good business reason this reasonable, conscientious person is acting the way they are, and get their agreement that I understand their objective correctly...

Then I need to ask.

Because once we find someone's genuine intent, we can finally start to collaborate and find a creative way to satisfy everyone's needs.

And, if you and your leadership team are looking for ways to turn different perspectives into better decisions, we’d love to help.