Quote:
Originally Posted by Jennifer
- It's a balance between feeling free to joke around and/or address potential conflict areas, versus feeling safe and as if one is appreciated for themselves.
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This is a good point. We've had some discussions in our church (I promise not to Jesus up the thread) about the difference between being
safe and being
comfortable. Understanding the difference is the first step in cultivating a challenging, yet respectful, environment.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jennifer
Everyone does have to give and take. Sometimes we'll offend each other by accident. It's just time to take a deep breath, remind ourselves while we are here, and then choose to continue to discuss. All of us can get touchy sometimes. That's just typical for a family or organization. The goal is to remember that everyone is on the same side (or that's the goal we need to focus on), then listen to other perspectives and try to accommodate others as best as we can, with the goal being what the best environment for the group is.
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But sometimes people offend each other on purpose, and I don't know that everyone here considers themselves to be on the same "side" as everyone else.