johnmdemarco posted on June 15, 2010 19:31
Today I wrote and re-wrote a short email response several times. Someone's terse email had upset me, and my instinct was to write back out of emotion.
The more I rewrote, thankfully, the less emotional my reply evolved. The entire time I was silently coaching myself to remember to practice all of the tactics I’ve been using and sharing with others for so long—to not take things personally, to see the needs and intentions of the other person in a trusting manner…to look at the bigger picture, and so forth.
In the end, the email was characterized by “less is more.” I left a lot on the cutting room floor. I felt like doing otherwise. But the lifelong quest for emotional intelligence involves plenty of sacrifice, and chief among what must be left at the altar is the desire to be right and ensure that others know they are wrong.