Who is better at accepting influence, men or women?
When we enter into relationships we move from making all decisions in our life ourselves, to suddenly sharing in those life decisions with a partner.
This can be a big adjustment with even for some of the most trivial decisions, such as what we watch on TV, dinner with the in-laws or a day at the pub, can cause conflict in even the most loving of relationships if our partner does not feel properly consulted.
How we deal with each other’s point of view, on either the small or big issues, is critical to a successful relationship with research showing that a failure to include our partner views predictive of whether we will have relationship that survives.
The acceptance of influence of our partners tends to be easier for women than men, who tend to strive for more independence and Melissa will explore why men struggle with accepting influence and how through seeking your partners advice is so important to your relationship.
The keys to accepting influence are:
• Listening to your partner’s opinion and showing genuine curiosity as to why they have that belief.
• Never letting disagreements ending in a stalemate by finding a resolution, no matter how difficult that may be.
• By being respectful to each other and acknowledging as part your relationship that you do consider their perspective and remaining friendly during any difference of opinion.
• By creating an environment where you both cherish the relationship no matter the opinion is, critical to any successful relationship.
Listen to the podcast here.
Melissa Ferrari is a Sydney registered psychotherapist and counsellor with more than 20 years of experience in couples counselling and individual therapy. She is one of Australia’s most sought-after therapists and is regularly called upon as a relationship expert in national media.
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