It is Friday night and you and your spouse have decided to go out for a bite to eat. What sounds good? Where do you want to go? While I know that for some, even this can be a challenging decision, choosing where to eat is usually, in the scheme of things, a relatively easy one.
Where we usually get tripped up is when we are faced with those more involved, more likely to disagree, complicated decisions. Where should we go on vacation? Do I accept the new job that will uproot us all to Milwaukee? What do you think about having my mother move in? Can we afford to purchase the new refrigerator? And the list goes on.
It is not unusual for individuals to find themselves bracing for a battle as they approach these topics. They take a seat across the room, with their arms folded, heels dug in, preparing for conflict. Yet, recently scientists have discovered that people who sit next to each other are much more likely to collaborate than those who sit across or diagonally from one another.
You see, when we are sitting side by side, perhaps holding hands, or touching arms, and looking at each other, there is a sense of, “we are on the same side – we are in this together.” And when we feel that kind of comradery, we do a much better of job of coming to agreement.
This week try this tactic – sit next to your partner, touch him or her, and make eye contact and see if those challenging decisions maybe become just a little bit easier.