Most of us like to think we approach our fast-paced lives with a reasonable amount of objectivity. After all, we admire people who see both sides of an issue and consider a full range of information before developing an opinion or conclusion.
But in reality, our objectivity ebbs and flows. Our life experiences may cloud our ability to see things clearly. It is credible to suggest that we are never truly objective. However, if we are to improve our emotional intelligence, we must learn how to observe our behavior, and that requires objectivity.
By definition, objectivity is the lack of bias, judgment or prejudice. We expect judges to listen to our stories objectively prior to rendering a decision. We expect journalists to present facts objectively so we can form our own opinion of the story. In essence, objectivity and credibility are indelibly linked.
When we approach an emotionally charged subject matter, however, objectivity can be elusive. By balancing our emotional vulnerabilities with a healthy dose of objectivity, we can make better decisions based on the merits of the subject at hand. Using objectivity allows us to look at a problem from a macro point of view.
Elizabeth R Thornton, a Babson College Professor suggests that in order to improve our objectivity we should start by describing a situation in our personal lives when we were not objective. Ask yourself:
What is the objective reality of what happened?
What were my assumptions?
What was my response?
Looking back, what could have been a more appropriate response?
What did it cost me?
This one simple exercise is a great first step in improving our ability to problem-solve more objectively in the future. We are, by nature subjective creatures who rely on our sensibilities to draw conclusions. But it is important to question our patterns of behavior through the most objective lens we can muster in order to broaden our perspectives and make constructive decisions.
At Possibilities we’ll explore our subjective beliefs and the patterns of behavior they influence. We’ll discuss strategies that help us problem-solve through an objective lens. Please join us for our next Level 1 Seminar and let us help you expand your emotional intelligence tool kit.
"A mature person is one who does not think only in absolutes, who is able to be objective even when deeply stirred emotionally.” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt