Its the Way You Say It

There was an interesting debate at work today.

I was in a meeting discussing a variety of issues. One of my colleagues is quite blunt and has strong views about various things and is not adverse to stating them.

I have found her quite knowledgeable since I have been with the company; in fact, I quite respect her and think that what she has to say holds a great deal of validity. Only yesterday she gave some insight which I thought was very beneficial from my own personal perspective.

Anyway, she got on her hobby-horse about one subject which really upset most of my colleagues and one in particular; so much so that the latter got up and walked out saying the words "I don't have time for this [same] argument".

I thought afterwards about a comment that more than one person has said to me throughout my career. Namely that "its not what I say, but the way I say it".

It was the same, I think, for the colleague above. Watching her made me think for the first time as to how it must seem to other people when I start to state my opinion. I could see how I would be both valid and agitating at the same time!

Anyway, another colleague interjected and smoothed the path by saying "we don't want to go down that route here" which I thought was a really good ameliorative action.

I learnt a lot from different perspectives from the whole incident!