Overview

     Are you an open person? If you can't answer that question, the information you are about to read will make you more aware of the kind of person you are, and this knowledge about yourself will enable you to make decisions about what you can do to help yourself become a more effective person. 

"New opinions are always suspected, and usually opposed, without any other reason but because they are not common." — John Locke, 17th-century English philosopher

What is openness?

      Openness might be an unfamiliar word to you. So, what exactly is openness? Does openness means to have the ability to open up or what? Actually, in order to be classified as an open person, you need to have some crucial qualities. Firstly, an open person is a good listener. He is someone who listens to what others has to say. He hears others opinion not just his own. Then he asks question. If you are an open person, then you must also be receptive to feedback. You must be able to listen to what others has to say about you. Don't think that you are always right. Next, if someone criticize you, are you willing to change? An open person is someone who is willing to change, if he is in the wrong. He is not self-centered and does not thinks that he is the best. He must also be a person who can readily accept new ideas, and not always stick to the old-fashion way. Finally, an open person must be fair and flexible.

      Now, let me talk about my one of my past experience. I still remembered once, in my secondary school days when I got to know this friend. He was not particularly an open person. Once, I criticize his science project, giving him my views. I advise him on some matters which he could have done better. But, he did not wanted to hear any of my views, instead he was so upset that he didn't talk to me for a week. He said that I was insulting him. So, from that day onwards, I try not to criticize him if I do not need to.

     So, after reading all this, are you an open person? If you are still not sure, take the quiz below to find out more. You will need the flash 5 plugin.

Case Studies

Take a look at these case studies and decide what you will do in each case.

1. You take pride in being fit and trim. Over the festive season you have eaten more than usual, but you have been exercising regularly. Your friend now tells you that you have put on weight. What is your reaction?

a. Reject this feedback as nonsense because you know that you have been exercising and you feel very fit.
b. Feel hurt that your friend is so insensitive to bring up this point.
c. Take the feedback positively and do something about your diet.
d. Feel grateful that your friend is telling you this out of concern for you.

     If your answer is a or b, then you are not an open person. Remember that an open person must be receptive to feedback. I mean, if you are not overweight, your friend would never say you are. Think about it. If your answer is c or d, then you are right to listen to feedback.

2. You are having some problems with your neighbor who turns on his TV set very loudly late into the night. This has upset your family to the extent that they want to report to the police. What will you do?

a. Call the Police anonymously.
b. Send your little sister to the neighbor to find out what is going on there.
c. Go and talk to the neighbor yourself.
d. Complain very loudly to the other neighbors and hope that one of them will tell this neighbor about your problem.

     The right thing to do here should be c. You should have a talk with the neighbor to hear his explanation. Listen to what he has to say. Maybe your neighbor has hearing problems and he doesn't know that his television set is too loud. If you choose a or d, then you are not giving your neighbor a chance, you are passing judgment before the case is closed. B could be a reasonable answer but the best thing is to talk to the neighbor yourself.

3. You are working for a client based on a master plan that you both discussed and agreed on and this includes a work schedule, fees and terms of payment. Halfway through, he comes to you and requests for changes which will hold up the work. What is your immediate response?

a. Agree at once.
b. Listen to what he has to say first without saying anything.
c. Tell him how inconvenient and costly it would be to change plans at this point of time.
d. Insist that the schedule has been agreed upon and no changes can be made.

     Here, we are talking about business matters, I mean if both party has already agreed on a contract, then it is not unreasonable to choose c or d as the answers. However, maybe the person really have some difficulty that he really has no choice but to make some changes. Listen to what he has to say before deciding. If the changes he suggested won't affect much of your work, why not?