https://pixabay.com/photos/rugby-sports-players-rugby-union-78193/
A reality we are increasingly confronted with is that people who are confident in themselves are sincere, and that this can clash head-on with many other people who don't like to hear the truth.
But is that really the case? Can someone who always says what they think be considered a straightforward person, and not be seen as less empathetic because of it?
Is a person intense... or difficult?
The question we usually ask is:
“Are they a person with a strong personality, or are they inflexible and spoiled?”
We can put the question this way:
A person who always tries to impose their will, who gets upset when others don't do what they want; or who, on the other hand, says whatever they feel like and whatever they think... And who even says: “If you like it, you like it. If you don't like it, tough luck.”
This is clearly not strength. Nor can it be confused with or even compared to strength. It is merely inflexibility and emotional immaturity.
A person is not strong just because they are sincere. Strength is knowing what you feel, and still choosing how you want to respond.
Strength is firmness with empathy. It is not rigidity with a wounded ego.
Great political leaders and coordinators of large companies do not lose their strength or determination just because they can say what they think. Quite the contrary. Concessions are not only made at the negotiating table. Concessions are also made when we are able to look the other person in the eye and understand why they are speaking to us in that way, without the decision-maker having to do so in a way that only conveys their determination and strength. Strength without empathy is nothing more than an act of aggression.
Free image from Pixabay.com
