many motivations, one often unspoken

Written By Eric Parrie

When you find yourself at odds with a colleague, it can be tempting to simplify your model of their motivations. Unlike you – a nuanced, sophisticated, pragmatic pursuer of The Mission We All Share – they are just in it (this debate, this role, this line of work) for 

  • power or

  • money or

  • status or

  • racial justice or

  • a sense of moral superiority or

  • etc

I’ve found it useful to release this over-simplified view. And to consider and wonder: what if, among the layered motivations they have, safety were the key driver? In other words, what if they’re afraid of something? 

It gets especially spicy and helpful if I can then honestly ask and answer that question about myself. What about my preferred solution here makes me feel safe? What fear am I trying to allay with my preferences (in this debate, this role, this line of work)?   

-eric

Eric Parrie
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“they shouldn’t feel that way”