Which is your favorite subject?

Get...Set...Go!

And you have the answer, even before eyes could finish reading it, isn't it? It is not surprising; this is the way we are programmed.

But, give me a few more seconds, let me conclude the puzzle.

Which is your favorite Subject - One that you study every day without fail, and there is no cribbing or revising it countless times. There are no books we refer, no preparation of notes and no institutions required. We proclaim to be born experts in it.

Perplexed...? Let me give you the answer.

'People' - fascinating subjects of all, we love studying it. They are part of our conversation all the time, and consciously or unconsciously we speak a lot about them. It is hard to control our emotions and feelings, and we cherish every moment of the conversation. Neighbors, relatives, friends, colleagues, managers, bosses - You name them.

It is human nature, and there is no harm if we maintain a balanced and fact-based conversation. But, when we step on the line and venture into premises and assumptions, it began to pose a serious threat to our career and may also lead to severe guilt pangs.

Keeping aside the casual conversation or corridor chats, let me explain through an example that could resonate with you.

- During 1-0n-1 with a Manager, blaming a junior or a colleague for the mistake they did not do or taking credit for a well-received idea/report from another team member.

You may ask me, what is a big deal? There is no big deal unless someone figures out that you lied during the conversation and if it happens to be your Manager, then the big deal takes the shape of eroding integrity and trust.

Now the question is how could you bring a more balanced view about people during conversation. It is quite simple:

'Assume or imagine that person is next to you when you bring him/her in your conversation.'

You would observe, it will bring a balanced and fact-based approach without efforts. Practicing this simple yet powerful technique would result in a healthy relationship with peers in office.

It was an eye-opener when I came across this simple learning a few years back. I practice it all the time when I bring people in my conversation; it helps me focus on facts rather than assumptions. It saves me from being too critical of people.

'When dealing with people, let us remember we are not dealing with creatures of logic. We are dealing with creatures of emotions, creatures bristling with prejudices and motived by pride and vanity.' (Dale Carnegie)