Your Talent Advantage

We talk and write a lot about the importance of Perceptual Style in understanding conflict. With good reason! Our Perceptual Style is the most important factor in Perceptual Style Theory (PST) in determining how we see the world. Notably, differences in Perceptual Style are often at the core of conflict. However, Perceptual Style differences are not the only contributor to conflict – in some situations, style differences may not be the most important.

There are hundreds of communication theories, thousands of books on the topic, and millions of articles. You can pursue degrees in communication, choose from thousands of seminars and classes about communication, or engage in philosophical conversations about it with friends, family, or strangers.

This is my sixth blog in a series of six discussing the challenge of finding and mentoring the right people for our organizations. The interview process is a combination of art and science and often comes down to our gut feeling about someone.  The long-drawn-out question and answer process of interviews can be tedious, and it can also leave you with inconclusive results. 

When I was quite young, I had the usual answers to that common question, “What are you going to be when you grow up.” Since my mother and father were physicians, I would often as not answer “Doctor” rather than “Fireman” or “Policeman”. It was with relief that I would realize I had gotten away again as, with satisfied smiles, people would say, “That will make your father and mother so proud!”

My sister and I have had several conversations about judgement lately. The context has been about the detrimental impact to people and communities— how harsh judgement fractures relationships and thwarts connection.

This is my fifth blog in a series of six discussing the challenge of finding and mentoring the right people for our organizations. The interview process is a combination of art and science and often comes down to our gut feeling about someone. The long-drawn-out question and answer process of interviews can be tedious, and it can also leave you with inconclusive results.  I discussed my views on this subject in a blog titled “Getting to Know You…” published last May, in the blog titled “Getting to Know You too..” published last July, in the blog titled “Getting to Know You…Also” published last October and in the blog titled “And…Getting to Know You” published this past November. 

On the first page of our book, Unlock the Power of Your Perception, Lynda-Ross and I point out that no one seeks self-awareness for the sake of self-awareness. People seek self-discovery because they believe that something is wrong, and they are looking for a solution. We go on to point out that there are many things that people feel are wrong about themselves or others, but they all have a common theme:  We feel frustrated that something that we want or expect is eluding us.