By Mike Cieri, MSIR, Vice President of Mardac Consultants
Many organizational conflicts revolve around the differences that we see in the facts
Disagreements between people on what the facts are, are inevitable. Nevertheless, there is a common belief that “facts are facts.” When a dispute occurs, it should be simple to identify the “real” facts, accept them, act accordingly, and thus settle any differences. Yet the “facts” are not always that simple.
Many organizational conflicts revolve around the differences that we see in the facts. What lens are we looking through? What’s our perception?
Our perception is formed through basic characteristics that are inborn and/or that greatly affect how we are socialized. For example; Age, Race, Ethnicity, Gender, Physical Abilities/Qualities, Intellect, and Sexual/Affectional Orientation. These are the characteristics that we are born with, they are at our core. The secondary dimension in forming our perception are those characteristics that are acquired and can modify throughout our life.
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