Watching the recent public shouting matches between global politicians, I am reminded of a business meeting from my younger days when I argued with a colleague about something he said that didn’t make sense to me. The disagreement grew emotional, and our voices became louder. Ultimately, I managed to present some facts that my colleague had not previously considered, and it all concluded with a hugely satisfying victory for me 💪

But, did I really win? The room had grown quiet, and other people in the meeting, including some senior managers, looked uncomfortable. My colleague, who had to accept my perspective, was hurt and embarrassed. All this, for proving that I was right!

I realised then that I had won the argument but lost the respect of everyone in the room. In hindsight, I could have easily approached my colleague much calmer and sorted out our differences without making it personal.

It’s not that we should not voice our opinions and share our point of view. The issue is that our egos become easily attached to the situation, and proving that we are right becomes far more important than the argument itself.

We often do not realise that our ego has taken control, and what begins as a normal discussion transforms into a must-win battle! This happens in politics, business situations, and with family and friends. When being wrong is perceived as a personal loss, our self-worth becomes attached to winning at any cost.

Few things erode trust and respect more than someone who must always show that they are right. The strength of your character is not in always being right; rather, it resides in how gracefully you handle being wrong. This is something politicians of all types, but even ordinary people like us, could do well to learn 😊