Neighbors with different opinions…
We recently moved to a new neighborhood. In preparing to move, we spent
four weekends in a row building a fence around the backyard to house for our
two dogs. Tank (a German Shepard) and Remy (short for Remington, a
lab). This was such a big adjustment for them. They went from having five
acres and pastures to roam freely to a 1/2 an acre.
They did really well for a few days, and then one day when we came home
Remy was sitting outside the gate. We checked the fence line, looking for the
escape route. Nothing was obvious, everything was still intact.
Several days later, I was standing at the kitchen window making my morning
tea and I noticed Remy in the neighbor's yard. Their back yard, backs up to
ours. I went out and yelled at Remy, the whole time trying to figure out how to
get Remy back into our yard. Suddenly Remy just turned and lept over the
fence, clearing it easily. He didn't even take a step, just jumped right over.
How were we going to fix that? Sounded like 8 foot fences were in order to
me. But then our neighbor came out and said how grateful she was that Remy
came over and played with her son who wants a dog so badly, but their
landlord won't allow it. So, we thought....this is great, they want to play with
our dog, he jumps their fence, it's a win win.
Wrong...On Saturday, there was a knock on the front door. Two young ladies
and Remy were on the stoop. They explained that their dad asked them to
bring Remy back. Apparently he jumps into my neighbors back yard, then
over her fence to the next back yard, and then under the next fence to the
newly made friends at the front door.
Although our immediate neighbor enjoyed and encouraged the encounters,
they didn't end with her, and the next two families over didn't want Remy in
their yard with their female dogs (totally understood).
This made me think how we rationalize things. Something is okay with me,
and the person next to me so I just think it's okay with everyone.
When did we stop taking everyone into account when trying to make
decisions? I should have realized that Remy would not just jump one fence,
but all of them. I should have also realized that not everyone would be a fan of
having a strange dog in their yard. I didn't, I didn't think. I just rationalized,
good, now I don't have to do anything about him jumping the fence.
The same thing happens in business. Just because something works for one of
our clients, doesn't mean it works for all of them. Each person is an
individual, and in this "one size fits all" society we need to remember, the best
possible thing we can do, is ask.
I'm hoping that with this lesson fresh in my memory, I will start making
decisions based on all possible impacts they may make. I am not the most
important person in this scenario, and I am not the most important person in
most scenarios.
Let's all be more polite, aware and take into account all of our neighbors, not
just the one right next door.