Some of us don't enjoy communications with others. It may result from our behavior style, a dislike of interaction with others, control motives, our business environment or a hundred other reasons. Whatever the reason, a common result is false expectations of the behavior of others.
When we fail to get the other side of the story, so to speak, most actions we take are centered on ourselves. We look at things from our own point of view and, even though we may spend considerable time thinking about a situation, our actions almost always include expectations of the the response of others. Because these expectations are generally shaped from our own perspective, the responses of others are often different from what we expect.
For many years when I had a business decision to make or when my wife and I faced a significant mutual decision, I'd think about the situation, resolve my concerns and then decide what to do. Once I'd decided, I told my wife what I, or we, were going to do. It took me a lot of years to recognize she needed time to process the situation and my decision. My expectations were that she would just go along with me, and those were false expectations! I'm a little better now but not completely cured!
As you might expect, decision-making in our home usually had pain connected with it! That's the danger of false expectations. When we've determined in our minds what another person should do in response to our plans, it's rare that our self-centered expectations will come to pass. Whether it's a husband and wife team, a business team or other groups of people working toward a common goal, communication and personal interaction go a long way to eliminating the negative results of false expectations.
Post a comment and share how you handle these situations.
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