So we all know what it feels like to be at the receiving end of a change of opinion, say from a workplace colleague, that we have just agreed with or defended.
It's downright embarrassing to discover that you are the sitting duck at a workplace meeting, right?
Especially in a team meeting, where the change of opinion not only appears to be a suck up for the boss, but also feels like you've just been isolated from the new opinion by a surprising twist from, maybe, someone you thought you knew. You may feel a sense of abandonment even, depending on what's going on in the rest of your life, despite the fact that you genuinely agreed that your colleagues opinion was correct; Or despite the fact that you added your voice of support to your colleagues point of view, because you genuinely believed they needed your cloak of support, when all the while they didn't.
Now, all team members are waiting for how you are going to cover yourself. Your colleague's face has taken on a camouflage of innocence and the team leader is staring at his or her ass while sliding you the sneakiest grin.
What should you do?
Should you about turn, where a big change in your opinion or attitude to something becomes the opposite of what it was before?
Should you climb down suggesting a change in your attitude by admitting that you were wrong?
Should you shift by changing something about your original idea about your colleagues opinion?
Should you do a conversion by attempting to change your colleagues belief in the new opinion?
Should you turnabout by drawing attention to the important change in the team members attitude toward the previous opinion?
Should you somersault by immediately agreeing with the sudden change from your opinion to the other very different one?
Should you leap and simply change the way you will think about your colleagues opinions in the future?
Should you U-turn with a sudden and completely new change of opinion?
In my opinion, if I knew I was right, I might start by giving my reasons why I think the first opinion is the right one, then shift by accepting my role within the team through a concession, of the team leaders prerogative to make the final decision. But deep inside, I might leap and do a U-turn with the mental note, never to defend a team mate who refuses to stand up for what they believe in, or know to be true. Alternatively, If I had offered my cloak of support, despite not truly agreeing with my colleagues opinion, I might climb down and do an about turn by not offering my voice to a team member, who doesn't know how to defend his or her own opinion, never mind recognise a collaborative hand of support. I might also take my cloak of support back, with a quiet conversion about my belief in the team mate, from the team mate who demonstrated they do not need to be covered by the collaboration I may be offering. Alternatively, I might decide to confront my beliefs about my colleague, during or after any performance, and ask for their opinion about what my perceived change was all about for them: But the truth is, that while you may find yourself in an socio-economically vulnerable situation of having to agree with others, about the fine clothes any King is or is not wearing, inside that lovely, warm mind of yours, you really don't have to agree with anything anyone says, and this includes your own thinking about what you might and might not believe in: But, should you ever find yourself in need of a change of heart, you now have some optional nouns that you can play around with, whenever you may choose to explore them, to consider any change of opinion you may not quite like.
© Chris Tyne, 2012.
It's downright embarrassing to discover that you are the sitting duck at a workplace meeting, right?
Especially in a team meeting, where the change of opinion not only appears to be a suck up for the boss, but also feels like you've just been isolated from the new opinion by a surprising twist from, maybe, someone you thought you knew. You may feel a sense of abandonment even, depending on what's going on in the rest of your life, despite the fact that you genuinely agreed that your colleagues opinion was correct; Or despite the fact that you added your voice of support to your colleagues point of view, because you genuinely believed they needed your cloak of support, when all the while they didn't.
Now, all team members are waiting for how you are going to cover yourself. Your colleague's face has taken on a camouflage of innocence and the team leader is staring at his or her ass while sliding you the sneakiest grin.
What should you do?
Should you about turn, where a big change in your opinion or attitude to something becomes the opposite of what it was before?
Should you climb down suggesting a change in your attitude by admitting that you were wrong?
Should you shift by changing something about your original idea about your colleagues opinion?
Should you do a conversion by attempting to change your colleagues belief in the new opinion?
Should you turnabout by drawing attention to the important change in the team members attitude toward the previous opinion?
Should you somersault by immediately agreeing with the sudden change from your opinion to the other very different one?
Should you leap and simply change the way you will think about your colleagues opinions in the future?
Should you U-turn with a sudden and completely new change of opinion?
In my opinion, if I knew I was right, I might start by giving my reasons why I think the first opinion is the right one, then shift by accepting my role within the team through a concession, of the team leaders prerogative to make the final decision. But deep inside, I might leap and do a U-turn with the mental note, never to defend a team mate who refuses to stand up for what they believe in, or know to be true. Alternatively, If I had offered my cloak of support, despite not truly agreeing with my colleagues opinion, I might climb down and do an about turn by not offering my voice to a team member, who doesn't know how to defend his or her own opinion, never mind recognise a collaborative hand of support. I might also take my cloak of support back, with a quiet conversion about my belief in the team mate, from the team mate who demonstrated they do not need to be covered by the collaboration I may be offering. Alternatively, I might decide to confront my beliefs about my colleague, during or after any performance, and ask for their opinion about what my perceived change was all about for them: But the truth is, that while you may find yourself in an socio-economically vulnerable situation of having to agree with others, about the fine clothes any King is or is not wearing, inside that lovely, warm mind of yours, you really don't have to agree with anything anyone says, and this includes your own thinking about what you might and might not believe in: But, should you ever find yourself in need of a change of heart, you now have some optional nouns that you can play around with, whenever you may choose to explore them, to consider any change of opinion you may not quite like.
© Chris Tyne, 2012.
RSS Feed
