Humans have long collaborated on group tasks. Everything we see around us is the result of infinite such collaborations among individuals.
This collaboration primarily occurs between individuals through idea sharing in meetings. In a meeting, the other person must listen to your ideas, even if they differ, and either extend or challenge them. If this process occurs without bias, that’s the ideal way to have a discussion.
For this to happen, maintaining an open mind is essential.
An open mind accepts that the other person might have something to offer. This doesn’t make them less intelligent than the other.
An open mind is not fixated on its own ideas and does not engage in discussion merely to force the other person to adopt its viewpoint; instead, it listens patiently, intent on learning others' views before countering.
An open mind doesn’t have its guard up; it’s not ready to oppose an idea without careful deliberation.
An open mind never demeans or disrespects others’ opinions out of insecurity or lack of values.
More often than not, we think we have an open mind, but we don’t. I had long believed I had an open mind, but realised only recently how closed-minded I had been.
Now, time for the million-dollar question: How does one determine whether they have an open mind or a closed mind?
The answer is to ask yourself one question after an interaction with someone.
“How did this conversation make the other person feel about themselves?”
If the answer is they felt better about themselves, then you likely have an open mind; if they felt worse about themselves, then your head is as closed and rigid as a coconut shell.
Because when you genuinely listen to someone with an open mind, they feel heard and good about themselves, even if you disagree with what they are saying.
Generally speaking, there are only two ways in which the other person will eventually feel about themselves after talking with you: either feeling good or feeling worse about themselves.