Vive la difference

How many times do you hear the somewhat dismissive observation, ‘They just don’t have any common sense!’?

What is this magical common sense? What value does it add? And with 8 billion people on the planet, what are the chances common sense actually exists?

Mostly when we extol the virtues of common sense, we are extolling the virtues of being like and thinking like us.

Other people do unexpected things and respond in unexpected ways because they are not us. They have different ages, genders, upbringing , education, cultural backgrounds, experiences, temperaments and world views. Believing that such a rich, many faceted diamond could turn out just like us, is a recipe for disaster when it comes to human interaction.

And why would you want them to? It can be wonderfully comforting to meet someone who is like us, but there is little learning or growth in that comfort zone. When it comes to other people, expect, revel in and celebrate the differences – yes, even those ones!

The next time you hear someone has no common sense, be grateful. There is gold in them thar differences!

Talk to me about making the most of the differences in your organisation.