5 Ideas to Meet People Where They Are
Photo by Lucas Myers on Unsplash
Meeting people where they are can be challenging, especially when you are faced with different viewpoints or perspectives.
Here are 5 ideas that can help you meet people where they are:
Acknowledge their perspective: Even if you don’t agree with someone, you can acknowledge their perspective. If they don’t validate your perspectives and it triggers you, do your best to step back and then validate their feelings and experiences. Note that this doesn’t have to happen all at once. If your feelings weren’t acknowledged growing up and you’ve had challenges validating your own experiences, do your best to give yourself some grace and patience.
Practice active listening: Listen carefully to what the other person is saying; this may be challenging if the other person shuts down or presents emotional statements. Ask clarifying questions to ensure that you understand their perspective and continually remind yourself to ground through breathing, anchoring, etc.
Look for missing information in communication: In the heat of the moment, it can be challenging to stay grounded and calm. Do your best to remember that experiences are filtered through the other person’s lens/perspective and their perspective is purely their own perspective. If someone is saying, “I’ve tried coaching and it’s just not working,” consider clarifying the statement to gain clarity. What type of coaching did you try and what is not working for you? What do you mean by try?
Find common ground: Look for areas of agreement or shared values, and use them as a starting point for building rapport, trust, and understanding.
Be open-minded: Be willing to consider different viewpoints and perspectives, and be open to learning from others. Keep in mind that you can only do so much; you can’t change the other person. Sometimes the person needs to go through their own experiences to go through changes/shifts. You can shift your own energy and remember this practice, especially in moments of being triggered.
See if you can experiment with these strategies to meet people where they are, even when you are faced with challenging situations or differing viewpoints.
When things get challenging, remember that you are working on your own growth and you are a work-in-progress. Focus on your progress instead of having to get to that end result to help you release the inner pressure within yourself. Forgive yourself and know that you’re doing your best.
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Thanks as always, for taking the time to read my articles.
