Learning Together

Learning Together

Language is ripe with idioms, metaphors, and similes that serve a bigger purpose than making us sound clever or poetic. Idioms, for instance—phrases with figurative meanings that differ from their literal meanings—serve to buffer our messages and make them softer on the ego. When we say things like “We’re in hot water,” “We don’t see eye to eye,” or “You put your foot in your mouth” the figurative translation of these phrases sounds less abrasive than, “We are in serious trouble,” “I don’t agree with you,” or “You really said the wrong thing there.” We use this kind of indirect language to get a point across without ruffling feathers (see what happened just there?) but to also make sure the message does indeed get noticed.

To truly understand another’s perspective, we must “walk a mile in their shoes”. Of course, we don’t literally mean swapping boots, but we do mean to stress the importance of sharing, learning, and respecting one another’s perspectives. Most often when we hear something we don’t agree with, we take an emotional stand and our brains immediately begin to formulate a rebuttal or contradiction to that thing. But if, rather than a counterpoint our first reaction is curiosity—rather than “No” we say, “Why?” and rather than “Stop talking,” we say “Tell me more”—everything changes. Taking a moment to “swap boots” requires a pause before reacting, and in that pause the brain resets to a calmer, more thoughtful and less reactive state. In just 10 seconds, stress hormones are reduced, the heartbeat slows, and breathing becomes regulated. In just 10 seconds, an entirely different future unfolds.

This issue of Partners in Progress is full of examples of this. Our cover story (see page 4) looks at ways SMACNA and SMART can walk together for greater change by staying focused on the common goals that bridge the industry. The struggle to make fire life safety regulations mandated in legislation has been fierce, and it only came together when those on either side of the discussion chose to widen their perspectives. Read more about the importance of certification on page 6. If there was ever an example of “walking a mile in another’s shoes,” it is in the legacy of Eugene Bramlett, who fought so hard for equality and fairness in the industry he loved and never acted with an ounce of resentment because he understood how it felt to be misrepresented and treated poorly. Read about his amazing life on page 8.

Our final two features—on exit strategies and building your online presence—ask you to walk a mile in your future self’s shoes. What kind of legacy do you want your business to leave? Where do you want to be on one, five, or 10 years? It can be difficult to plan outside of one’s immediate environment but we owe it to our colleagues and industry to be brave and widen our perspectives ever chance we get. ▪