What's the generous approach?

If I’m making a decision (especially one involving someone else) I try to take the more generous route. I have a tendency of keeping score and taking my own side—trying to achieve the convenient outcome for me. To counteract that, I'm asking myself to instead find opportunities to be more generous, even if it causes me... See more

The thing about assuming good intent is that it creates space for actual resolution. When you approach someone's difficult behavior as information rather than attack, you can respond from curiosity instead of defensiveness. You can ask questions instead of building cases. You can offer understanding instead of demanding explanations.

‘Emotional generosity’ is the ability to see beyond behaviours we don’t understand by proactively looking for compassionate ways to explain them. Sometimes, this is easy; if a toddler starts crying or throwing a tantrum, we might wonder if they’re hungry, or tired, or hurt. Sadly, it’s not so simple for adults — and especially for our co-workers.... See more

In most social contexts, what individuals perceive as right or wrong depends less on fixed truths and more on the meaning, context, and logic they’ve applied, whether consciously or not. It’s incredibly useful—both relationally and for developing emotional intelligence—to try and understand why someone has adopted a particular view.