“If you truly care for people, you won’t judge them. And then you will learn to appreciate the uniqueness in every single soul.”

I am a social scientist at heart. There’s almost nothing I love more than observing human behavior and trying to figure out why people do the things they do. Sometimes those are things I love, sometimes not so much. But even when I’m frustrated or even furious, I try hard to remember that the people around me, certainly in the workplace, are adults. Adults who make decisions based on patterns that have served them well in the past, that may or may not serve them now. Adults who do things because they are committed, or scared, or driven, or vulnerable. Adults who are unique.

It’s easy to judge when people do things differently than the way you do things. It’s easy to get angry and dig in your heels, knowing your path is the right one and if they would only…. It’s hard to pause and get curious. To wonder why they’re doing what they’re doing or treating you the way they’re treating you. It’s hard to remember that they’re walking their own unique path. It's hard to remember they’re probably doing the best they can with the tools they have at their disposal. But that’s exactly what great leaders do. They remember. They get curious. They lean in to difference. They recognize the brilliance of a new approach. They celebrate the challenge and the opportunity.

Be like Dolly. Appreciate the uniqueness of everyone around you.