What’s More Important – Being Right or Having Relationships?

I love this quote by Maya Angelou because it’s the basis for a point I often make to people with strong opinions who have conflict with people.

I say to them – you can be the smartest person on the planet and everything you’re saying is exactly right, but if in the process of proving your point you offend the person you’re speaking to – nothing you said will matter.

Since part of the motivation to be right is to have an opinion that matters, you’ve failed to get your desired result.

So try this week to extend deference to people.  Choose to let some things go for the sake of having a relationship.  Do you want to influence people?  Then focus on building people up instead of winning an argument and being right.