Why You Should Match With Your Opposite

It’s no surprise that we try to match with those of similar interests. It gives us a sense of ease knowing that we have a person who shares the same beliefs and ideas as we do. A natural chemistry would be closer along the lines to the bonds we feel.

It begs the question then, doesn’t it? Why should we match ourselves with people to whom we share no interests?

Well…Extremely different people see things extremely differently.

Far too often in our society we shun down the minority opinion. This is evidenced in the college atmosphere where there is an increasing threat to free speech on campuses, where sensitive issues are raised.

When is the last time we truly tried to understand someone with a different view to us? Being interpersonal is a skill which many of us neglect simply because we don’t fully understand it. It is essentially our ability to get along with others, and the fastest way to improve a skill is by stepping out of our comfort zone.

Lori Bumgarner calls this area “The Learning Zone”. By matching with our opposites, we are giving ourselves an opportunity. An opportunity to see the world from a different perspective, whilst also developing that interpersonal side of us.

When I met PJ, we couldn’t be any further opposite. He was the extroverted kid who had a knack for getting in trouble and I was the introverted one who liked to keep to myself. I only realised after about 2 years what impact we had actually had on each other. I became more outspoken and he became more studious. This is probably why you’ll see most managers praise The Devil’s Advocate in teamwork; the one who will contend all your views and suggestions just to ensure that you’re seeing the bigger picture.

Investing time in your opposite is really just investing time in yourself.

Original Content at Breakbeyond.net