I joined the Army because I was bored at University. I didn’t join as an officer because my Dad hadn’t either and I didn’t appreciate the difference. He wasn’t pleased with either decision and had told me many times what I should do instead.

I never asked his reasons and he never explained his thinking. He had a view I didn’t examine and he never sought to understand how things looked to me, so we missed the opportunity to relate to one another. Ultimately, I didn’t benefit from his experience.

If there isn’t agreement, we could do well to listen more. To understand how ‘they’ see things differently and what they don’t see that’s obvious to ‘us’.

Background and context can inform both views.

Listening might build more bridges than talking.