Are we seeing the same thing?

In my banking role in the marketing department, I often met agencies who would present ideas for campaigns we had briefed them.

Sometimes, my immediate boss or department head would join in the meetings, especially for high-priority campaigns.

My immediate boss was on leave once, so I attended an agency presentation with a peer and our department head.

The meeting finished late — usually, we debrief right after the meeting, but we decided to do it first thing in the morning instead.

My boss was back the following day, and just before the debrief, he asked me and my peer how the meeting went.

I answered, “It went great,” just as she said, “It was terrible.”

We both looked at each other, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

We both sat in the same meeting, heard the same things being said, and saw the same ideas, yet we came away with totally opposite conclusions while trying to be objective about the meeting.

It was a great learning moment for me — our thoughts, experiences, and upbringing made us respond to the same event differently.

Every story has multiple sides; the more we seek to understand them, the better we understand ourselves and others.

Today’s Prompts

1 - Reflect on a time when you and someone else perceived the same event very differently. What factors do you think contributed to your different interpretations?

2 - What’s one belief or perspective you’ve held onto for a long time? If you had to argue against it, what points would you make?

I’d love your feedback

What was your favourite prompt of the day? Is there any specific challenge you want prompts for? How can I improve the content of the newsletter? Reply this mail and let me know!