Understanding principle

How it works

Understanding another person is perhaps the second most difficult thing to do (the most difficult thing is understanding yourself).

People are driven by complex and deep motivations, that if you can understand you can support and shape.

They have limited capabilities and are shaped by past events in their lives - many of the early ones of which may have been, at the time, traumatic.

They infer meaning that is different from what is really happening and formulate intent using faulty logic and decision processes.

They have differing preferences that lead them to behave as different 'personality types'.

...and all you need to do is understand all this.

So what?

Always spend as much time as possible trying to understand people such that you can explain their past actions and predict their likely future actions.

Demonstrating your understanding, when coupled with care and concern, is a powerful way of building trust.

When talking with them, use the same language and models as them, so they can understand what you say in their own terms.

You can also use your understanding to build tension and hence persuade them.

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Understanding principle

Principle

How it works

So what?

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