Understanding others in order to be understood

It's not always easy to understand other people. "Men are from Mars, women are from Venus." You've probably come across this book title before, as it's become a well-known saying. But men and women are also a fascinating topic. Opposites attract. Poles that sometimes resemble each other and sometimes couldn't be more different. "Who can really understand the other?" is often said. In short: it's a topic that can easily get you into trouble when you talk about it.

Ultimately, anyone who wants to talk about the similarities and differences between men and women must exercise great caution—or else be prepared to provoke. You know me and the Grundl Leadership Seminar, so what do you think my strategy will be?

In the following, I do not want to view men and women as opposing genders, but rather as principles that we encounter repeatedly in everyday life. Because we must first understand in order to be understood.

Here are two statements that are particularly relevant to our discussion:

• The essence of man is recognition.
• The essence of a woman is attentiveness.

The general nature of men and women

To understand the other, let's first look at the principles of man and woman mentioned above. Men seek recognition in life. To put it bluntly, they would like to be woken up with the words, "What an honor to wake up next to you." They want to feel strong and needed. They want to go out into the world and conquer it. I summarize this behavior or principle under the term "recognition."

Conversely, women want to be the center of attention. The essence of their nature is to want to bring together the best the world has to offer. To put it bluntly, they want to hear: "You are the only woman in the universe, and for me, there is only you and you alone."

Learning to understand each other

Of course, these exaggerated principles cannot explain everything, but they help us to better understand the nature of men and women, to empathize with each other, and ultimately to understand each other. Many men wish they could understand women better. Many women certainly feel the same way. At the same time, this way of thinking can also help men to interact better with each other. The same applies to women among themselves.

Once we can put ourselves in the other person's shoes and learn to understand them—regardless of whether we are dealing with a man or a woman—we will understand them better. Give it a try and you will see how your impact on others increases significantly.

We must first understand others, then we can be understood! Remember this sentence. Write it down. Live by it.

Your task

Observe your surroundings closely over the coming week. Identify where you recognize the principles of man and woman. Who is seeking recognition? Who is seeking attention? Act accordingly and observe how others react to you.

Get up! No more excuses

If you want to understand others and take the next step in your personal development, then I would like to recommend my book "Get up! The end of all excuses. "This book will help you recognize your excuses and overcome them for good. Or take advantage of our seminar offerings for long-term leadership development.