How to build common ground with people

How to build common ground
with people
Executive Coach International Pte Ltd – www.liveyourmark.com
Resolve conflicts
Establish powerful teams
Find solutions together
Build up trust and friendships
Be yourself

Common ground is the shared values and beliefs
between people. It is essential to establishing trusting
and supportive relationships.
Furthermore, it holds people together when working
on a challenging problem.

We often deal with people from
diverse cultures and backgrounds.
Common Ground is an essential aspect of conflict
resolution and a key to ending disputes peacefully.

Minimize your prejudice
Become aware of your own stereotypes and limited information about
others that you acquired throughout your life, whether through the media
or people close to you.
Ask yourself which groups you
tend to generalize. Write down
your opinions about them.
Where did you get that
information from?
Talk to other people about
them, without offending anyone.

Be curious about people
Ask people questions about their
cultures, customs, and views.
Most people liked to be asked
about their lives and their
cultures.
E.g. What’s their favorite Music?
Do they like spicy food and why?
Asking thoughtful questions can help
you learn more about other people and
helps building relationships.

Share your care
The basis of any
relationship is care.
Everybody wants to care
and be cared about. That’s
what makes a relationship
real.

Listen to people and their stories
You can learn a lot and build a strong relationship when you listen to
someone tell their life story. It also gives you a better understanding
about the person’s life, feelings, and experiences.
Don’t reduce your knowledge to only what the media is showing.

Notice variations in values and
communication styles
Different backgrounds lead to
different ways of communicating
as well as different values. Be
aware that there are cultural
differences.
Just because a majority of
people has adopted a certain
style, doesn’t mean it’s the only
or best style.

Risk making mistakes
You may make mistakes while dealing with people with different
cultural backgrounds than your own. Don’t let that bother you in
having conversations and building relationships.
Saying something insensitive
will give you a lesson you can
learn from.
Ask the affected person what
bothered or offended them,
apologize and continue
building a relationship with
them.

Learn to be a supporter
Be willing to take a stand against discrimination when it occurs.
Keep yourself updated with
the issues people are facing to
understand and become
involved in their struggles. Be
nearby instead of watching from
a distance.

If you still find difficulty in establishing common ground
with others, consider working with a professional,
accredited coach. A coach can help you increase self-
awareness of your own perceptions about people and set
you on a path to improving your relationships with
others.

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How to build common ground with people

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