My neighbor has his sewage pipeline running next to my house. It was broken and the stuff inside was oozing out causing discomfort to all around.
I was not sure how to handle the situation. He was aware of it but chose not to speak about it.
The passers by thought that our house was to blame.
I decided to practice Habit 6 of the great Stepehen Covey. How do I synergize with my neighbor?
I decided to look for win-win (H4). Then to understand his point of view (H5).
So off I went to his house and brought up the issue. I was mentally prepared to listen to him.
He made a statement that he believed that some lorries that brought material to build my (new) house was the cause.
I tried to stick to facts and let him say what he wanted.
Then I politely offered to look for a solution that would work for both of us.
My listening helped him to ease up and he also offered to help solve the problem (which I believed to be his).
Being hard pressed for time, I asked him to help with the supervision, while I could fund the exercise. The good point was that he also agreed to foot half of the cost.
The interesting point is that if I had argued, we would have been at loggerheads and the relationship would have suffered. By being humble one can try to look for synertistic solutions.
Thanks to Dr. Covey. May his soul rest in peace.
I was not sure how to handle the situation. He was aware of it but chose not to speak about it.
The passers by thought that our house was to blame.
I decided to practice Habit 6 of the great Stepehen Covey. How do I synergize with my neighbor?
I decided to look for win-win (H4). Then to understand his point of view (H5).
So off I went to his house and brought up the issue. I was mentally prepared to listen to him.
He made a statement that he believed that some lorries that brought material to build my (new) house was the cause.
I tried to stick to facts and let him say what he wanted.
Then I politely offered to look for a solution that would work for both of us.
My listening helped him to ease up and he also offered to help solve the problem (which I believed to be his).
Being hard pressed for time, I asked him to help with the supervision, while I could fund the exercise. The good point was that he also agreed to foot half of the cost.
The interesting point is that if I had argued, we would have been at loggerheads and the relationship would have suffered. By being humble one can try to look for synertistic solutions.
Thanks to Dr. Covey. May his soul rest in peace.
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