EmploymentScape Chief Executive Officer, Harrison Barnes discusses the importance of listening to, and understanding the other side’s point of view.

Harrison discusses the happenings in any court system. What typically happens is that both the sides are heard at length before coming to any conclusion on the verdict. In most cases, settlement and mediation work much better where the two sides are made to listen to each other’s view points. More often than not they are able to come to a mutually acceptable solution.

Harrison tries to relate the same principle to our careers. He feels that a lot of the economic crisis in the country is because people fail to understand one another. A lot of businesses with great potential often fail because the employees fail to understand the employer’s concerns. However, according to Harrison, any business can work and survive if the right actions are taken. The biggest problems why businesses fail is that people want things to be a certain way and are afraid to listen to what needs to be done to change this.

People often assume they know what someone else needs or what they are entitled to. People do this without having any information whatsoever about where the other person is coming from. This never works. Harrison concludes that the most important thing you can often do to keep a job, get a job, and more is take the time to listen and ensure you understand the other person’s point of view.