Close the divide. See people.
We live ever more in a crowded and divided world. Never have there been so many people and never it seems have we been so disconnected from each other. It seems we listen less, talk more and really never understand people who are different than us. So what is one to do? I say start by thinking about yourself.
I mean do you ever sit and think, and I mean really think, about being you? How you have all these thoughts, fears, beliefs and your own perspective on all things. This is me. I’m the only one like this. Anywhere. And then think, and I mean really think, that every person walking this earth has the same things going on inside them. What would it feel like to be them rather than me? The same? Completely different? What?
Now I know some of you are already thinking this sounds too deep or maybe even something along the lines of ‘what the hell is he talking about’...but stick with me.
Years ago I stumbled across something that turned out to be very powerful. It was very accidental. In fact, I don’t even remember the first time it happened.
We all are in the presence of people virtually every minute of the day...from our family to our friends to the countless random strangers on the street. My question is...do you see them? And by that I mean do you really see them?
We know they are there, but much of the time they are just a body in our presence, and dare I say it’s even true many times with our loved ones who we may share our lives with. I describe it as we ‘see’ them as we think of them in our mind. But quite possibly because of that we are missing the true uniqueness of them. And more importantly we may be missing the similarities to us.
Next time you get a chance, and they aren’t watching you, look at somebody. And I mean really look at them. Now don’t be creepy. But look at their individual features. Their nose. Their eyes. Their hands. Their mannerisms. Their youth or their wrinkles. Their imperfections and their beauty. I mean we see people virtually at all waking hours, but do we really, truly see them?
So...look at them intensely. Hard. Study them. Focus on one feature of them at a time. Get beyond seeing them as a whole body and look at the details of those features. You’ll see something you’ve never seen before. I don’t know how to explain it, but you’ll know it when it happens. I find it is most powerful when that person is deeply involved in something else. You will see a different person, no matter how well you know them already. It brings a level humanity and vulnerability to them that can only be explained when it happens. It also just may cause you to see them as someone more like you...an individual with thoughts, beliefs, flaws and all that comes with it.
And I find the more we see someone more like us the more accepting we are. And that might be just what we need to start closing the divide.
Hi, I’m Dave Lucas. I am passionate about people-first leadership and marketing. My experience includes 20+ years in marketing leadership positions at Caterpillar Inc., many as the Global Digital Marketing Manager, and 10+ years in leadership positions at various marketing agencies. I am now the owner of Lucas Partnering, where I leverage my experience to help companies advance their marketing efforts to the next level, as well as help leaders and future leaders be the best they can be. You can reach me at davidlucas@lucaspartnering.com.
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