Helping Others to Accept Your Wisdom

"I am always ready to learn although I do not always like being taught."
~Winston Churchill

Several months ago, I witnessed an interaction between two people that exemplifies this statement. Since then I have paid close attention to interactions where one person is attempting to impart some information to the other party. I have come to the conclusion that most of us don't like being taught when the "teacher" is displaying either arrogance or acting condescendingly. No one likes having a finger wagged in her face.

I think that if we want someone to consider (let alone accept) our advice, our suggestion, or even our point-of-view, we need to be aware of how we are showing up in that interaction. It is okay to own our expertise and experience; however, there must be space in that interaction for the other person to still feel okay about themselves. If they don't, they close themselves off to us and our ideas -- no matter how valuable or on target our ideas may be.