If there was something in your professional, cultural life or personal life that you discovered you were doing wrong, you would change it. Wouldn’t you? If you were doing an operation that consistently failed, you would change. If you discovered that an expressed opinions was unconsciously sexist, you would change. If you found that your annoyance over a work disagreement had overflown into your personal life, you would change. None of these is an easy recognition, none of it is an easy change, but you would change.
It is difficult to realise that something we’ve been doing, perhaps for a long time, just isn’t what we hoped it would be. It may be everyone else does the same, but, if, in your assessment, you saw that things weren’t the way you want them to be, you would change. Of course, it would be difficult and confronting, but if there was a better way, you would change.
Sometimes, opinions that we have expressed may not consider or support others view points. If a colleague was generous enough to highlight this in a non confrontational way and show you an opportunity to re-evaluate and improve, you would change. None of us want to be “that guy”. It can be we are shielded by our privilege or our surroundings but if you knew and understood, you would change.
Work can be hard and sometimes there are disagreements. They might be philosophical, theoretical or or even emotional. That disquiet overflowing into our personal lives can cause upset to those we live with and socialise with. Often this is unconscious. If someone pointed it out to you, you would change.
None of us wants to be following the wrong technique, causing offence or upset by our actions. If a supportive colleague or friend offered insights that helped you to improve, you would change. Your presentations don’t work. Your failure to understand this wastes people’s time. Your unwillingness to accept this is complex but you cannot escape the facts. Presentations the way they are delivered by virtually everyone go against science. If you accepted all that, you would change. Will you?