Day #9: Expanding Your Point of View
Being ADEPT | Be Diverse
Welcome to Day 9 of the 30-Day Say It Skillfully Challenge! Yesterday, you started with advocacy, using your voice to help others be heard. Today builds on that skill by expanding what gets heard: different perspectives, experiences, and ways of thinking.
Being diverse in communication isn't about agreeing or being "nice." It's about resisting the urge to judge, dismiss, or rush past viewpoints that feel unfamiliar, uncomfortable, or inconvenient. The most skillful communicators know that better outcomes come from embracing difference, not smoothing it over or making it "wrong or bad".
Be Diverse means choosing curiosity over certainty. It's recognizing that people see the world through their own lens, so no single perspective paints the full picture. When diversity is embraced, rather than tolerated, individuals feel they belong, and teams become smarter, more innovative, and more resilient.
Today's Challenge: Think back to a recent conversation or meeting where someone shared a viewpoint you disagreed with, found hard to accept, or quickly dismissed. Revisit that moment with fresh eyes and ask yourself: "What did I (or the team) lose out on by not fully hearing them out?"
Was it a new idea? A signal about what mattered to them? Or perhaps a missed chance to strengthen trust or collaboration? Even if you still wouldn't have agreed with their proposition, consider what value might have been there had you stayed open longer.
At the end of the day, reflect on what you noticed. How might pausing to explore difference—rather than dismiss or fight it—change the quality of your relationships?
Being diverse in how you communicate isn't about abandoning your point of view. It's about recognizing that when we close the door too quickly, we often leave something valuable behind. By embracing diversity, we expand what's possible every time unfamiliarity shows up.
Cheering for you to make the most of this 30-day challenge—whether you're recommitting to a resolution, trying something new, or simply choosing to turn over a fresh leaf this year. One small step today can change how you show up all year long. You've got this!
