Contemplating the Valor of Compromise
I am without question a strong-willed child. Well, I'm not technically a child anymore, but by gosh, I am definitely strong-willed. Starting in my late 20s, I began working quite intentionally on the character traits of empathy and compromise. There have been moments when I felt real progress had been made, I can much more easily roll along with the opinions of others, even when I want to go the opposite direction, or feel my understanding of the facts is clearly the correct understanding. And then, there are days like I've had last week and this...when I thought I was being completely reasonable, generous even...and the person on the other end of the negotiation tells me I'm not listening, and never compromise. What to do with this shocking encounter with another strong-willed person? Am I correct in my assessment, or is he? When it comes to the rough and tumble world of business ownership, the balancing act ...