A new defining moment...

Over the years, black people have been called many degrading names. One, in particular, has many people dancing around in their conversations in order to be politically correct. Recently, I saw a rant by someone who was called this to their face, and I got to thinking.

My thoughts came to how should a conflict be resolved, and one of the techniques is reframing the problem. Looking at the situation from now on, rather than get bitter I will get better. Yes, I'll change the vowel from i to e.

Therefore to the next person that refers to me or my kind as a N-i-G-G-E-R. I'll now take it that they mean:

• Naturally
• Intelligent
• Genre of 
• Genes
• Emitting 
• Radiance

This is how I'll be, whenever anyone calls me by this name. I'll emit the radiance of God that they wish they had. I'll emit the great and charming qualities of my personality and character. No longer will I be lead into expressions of anger. I'll take it that they see the inert outstanding qualities in me they wish they had and step into my season of flowing in them. 

The next time a person refers to me or anyone like me as a nigger, then we'll know that rather than pulling the plug on us, they want us to switch on the power we were born with and flow as the Human Beings The Almighty intended us to be. 

People are fascinating to observe

I'm sure that at some point you've heard someone say that they wished they could be a fly on the wall. It's usually because they want an opportunity to just observe. Looking at people and questioning certain behaviors can give rise to more questions. It can lead you to see motivators that you would not believe could have existed in the situations where they occurred.

Some behaviors observed are:

• jealousy, gossip, selfishness, scheming, dislike without a reason, violence, following the masses and the list can go on with these more prevalent negative behaviors. 
• Alternately, we see though more infrequently, generosity, calm, patience, love, passion, concern

The situations within which we see these behaviors, good and bad, demonstrated are dynamic. Siblings having a serious quarrel can become quite defensive of each other against a third party who may intervene for whatever reason. 

How does this translate to our work lives?

All too often, we see disputes within organizations, and between organizations and customers that need not be so. Many situations can escalate to unnecessary proportions just because one part of or both parties did not seek to understand the other persons' perspective. The result is conflict. 

If we were to look back over a lifetime at the conflicts that we were involved in, what would we think of our behavior? Did we really handle that situation well? or could we have done better? Why do we so easily get drawn into situations of conflict?

Let's make a conscious effort, all readers, to be aware and not be so easily duped into becoming involved in a conflict.