Are all lies lies?

Someone can tell us a story that is a lie.

But the story of them telling us that story can never be a lie.

If we take a step back, we do not try to indulge in what we are being told.

But think about why we are being told what we are being told.

It can help us avoid judgments and empathize with others around us.

It can help us see the people around us in a new light.

It helps us find their motivations that differ greatly from what they say.

Avoiding judgments is absolutely necessary to understand someone’s reality.

You cannot be a good product manager if you don’t understand your customer’s reality.

You cannot be a good leader if you don’t understand your team member’s reality.

You cannot be a good parent if you don’t understand kids’ reality (this is the trickiest)

You cannot be a good human being if you cannot differentiate between someone’s reality and their words.