Being receptive

Today's age is such that it is quite possible, at least in the immediate vicinity of our surroundings, to count the number of people who have the ability to be receptive. Consider the following cases –

1. How often do we see in our peer group one being over-confident of he/she knows (that might be based on his/her experience in the field) and hence demanding the right for the opinion to be accepted without any questioning whatsoever?
2. How often do we see in our peer group one being over-confident of what he/she knows that may not even be based on any related experience in the field but still be demanding the right for the opinion to be accepted without any questioning because that is what is perceived by him/her as being ‘logical’?
3. How often do we see in our peer group people being over-confident of what he/she knows that would actually be based on his/her own trusted sources (trusted people or trusted websites)?

A discussion that might involve such a person who considers it to be futile to be further discussing based on the above cases of ‘what he/she knows’ more often ends up being one of the following-

1. One proving a point to establish the ‘perceived superiority’ of knowing more than others
2. One trying to find easier ways of ending the discussion and hence getting done with work
3. One getting emotionally attached to the act of establishing one’s knowledge
4. Shutting the doors of new possibilities by banking on prior experience and not being open to newer ideas (that may even defy the experience-based knowledge)

It is true that the means to access information in today’s age has multiplied many folds than what it was a few years ago but that is not proportional to the terabytes of information that is being generated every second. Consider the following ways of handling a discussion –

1. Looking at the topic of discussion objectively and contributing ideas/points that one knows/believes
2. While discussing, not getting attached to anyone or anything emotionally and discussing only on the merit of the idea/point
3. Showing enough passion for work that the mere pleasure of establishing superiority is not something that is sought for
4. Having a vision for the outcome, ensuring everyone in the team/group has a vision and working towards finding a noteworthy result/solution
5. Having an open mind to be able to accept his/her own ideas being rejected
6. Trust that there is more to what one receives from his/her trusted sources

Consider a discussion where everyone is open to use the statements ‘I don’t know’, ‘I might be wrong’, ‘I know it is not that way but it is worth discussing’, ‘I am confident of this but we can verify it again’.

Well, not adopting the above approach might save time but it might come at an expense of prematurely agreeing to ideas that could have been better if the discussion had gone at length and with an open mind. After all, generating mere ideas is something that may no more be claimed as a unique talent. It is all about giving ideas that matter that would result only by having open-minded discussions.