Is perception really reality?  I'm sure it can feel like our perception is reality--the one accurate way to see the world.  The problem is people often have different interpretations of the exact same situation and we really don't start our conversations by naturally understanding each other.

Interpersonal conflict at work is surprisingly common and yet this can be a difficult fact to swallow, for employees and managers alike. Where is the conflict coming from? What's fueling it? What can diminish it?  Although the effects of conflict can reach far and wide with complexities, its root can be mapped back to one simple truth: we all see the world differently. 

Have you ever heard two people tell the same story with completely different accounts of what occurred? Everyone sees the world through their own personal filter.

Welcome to the perception paradigm.  The good news is that there are strategies we can use in the workplace to ward off conflict and more easily navigate conflict when it occurs, by leveraging an understanding of how perceptions impact conflict.

That's what we'll dive into in this module.  We'll talk about "minding the gap"--because between perception and reality, a gap exists and communication falters.  Ultimately, our goal is to address and answer the question, "Did you hear what I meant to say?"