Take good notes
Everyone is entitled to their own experience.
In fact, that’s all we ever get. Our own take on the world around us, informed by where we’ve been and where we seek to go.
Sometimes, we get the chance to hear about someone else’s experience. In those moments, it’s tempting to use the opportunity to explain a situation, to excuse or even to persuade.
Perhaps it pays to simply take good notes.
Acknowledge what you’re hearing. Encourage and amplify and find empathy.
There are plenty of opportunities to expound on our version of the world. Every once in a while we have the rare chance to explore someone else’s.