I went through a training class recently which really opened my eyes to the different ways that people relate to the world around them. I’ve noticed that this is one of the primary sources of conflict between people. And of course I’ve experienced that directly!

Because I have my own way of thinking about the world and life. And I tend to relate to others using my own mindset.

The good news is that there are some very useful models which help you to understand your own way of thinking, and how to best relate to others who are different.

No doubt you’ve heard of Meyers Briggs® or DiSC®. The training I took was on a newly developed tool called Hallos Relational Intelligence, which has some great ways of looking at this dynamic.

So what do we learn from this?

  1. There are different ways of thinking about, and relating to, the same reality.
  2. They tend to fall into patterns which lead to useful ways I can relate to others.
  3. I myself have my own preference and type.
  4. These are learnable skills.

It’s that last one which gives me the most hope. And the good news is – these tools are useful and give me actions I can take!

It definitely helps me to become a better leader, and get results that matter.