How many of you have an opinion? I didn’t ask about what that opinion might be. I just asked whether or not you have one. The truth is, we all have them. And ours is usually the right one. Or so we think. You see, in general, we ALL feel that our opinion is as good as the next person’s, if not even better. It is our human nature, our self interest, that gives us this attitude. More often than not, our opinion on a subject is driven not by what we know as fact, but rather by what we might feel about that subject. Our emotions and our level of comfort usually drive the opinions that we have and sometimes express. The problem with opinions, yours and mine, is that if we are not careful they will paralyze us into inaction. As a result of our opinions, we very often tend to focus on what the situation should be rather than dealing with what the situation IS.

In our interactions with clients, we can become so frustrated at their decision making (because what they might do is NOT what we would have done) that we mentally walk away from the case. We may keep the case open, in a file drawer, but we are not actively engaged in the process of assisting them because our opinion of their actions has paralyzed us into inaction. Further, when managing projects, my opinion of an issue could very easily keep me from giving my very best. I could so easily get caught up in how something should be, rather than dealing with what IS, that I would do nothing.

I choose a different approach. The MCMC project chose a different approach. We knew very early on in the process that we were not going to be able to win on every negotiating point. We chose to move forward anyway. We chose to do SOMETHING, as opposed to the alternative, which was NOTHING. We are still trying, and will keep trying, to influence and shape the future of the project, with the same goal in mind. To do something, to help just ONE person or family, is better than to have done nothing and helped no one … in my opinion. This week, think about dealing with what IS, as opposed to allowing yourself to be paralyzed into inaction by your opinion of what should be. Let’s help any and all of those we can in the time we have left.

Blessings,

Stephen