Rule Omega
Talk with others with the shared assumption that both sides have part of a larger truth.
while we are Listening with Humility and Empathy, we also want to be building a more accurate understanding in our Personal Universe. This pattern is about putting it all together.
When we just communicate to be understood, we miss the opportunity to truly learn from someone else.
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“Rule Omega” is a term that was coined by Jordan Hall, though I think he came up with the rule in collaboration with David Schmachtenberger and Forrest Landry.
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Practice Rule Omega: a form of earnest communication where both parties operate on the understanding that each person’s communication has some signal, no matter how noisy it may be, and they will both inquire until they can discern the truth that is there. Rule omega is not something one party can demand; it must be given.
Therefore:
Listen for the signal in what someone is trying to say while actively trying to construct and rearrange your own understanding based on the information they are providing.
This process can lead to discovering a Higher Order Idea that resolves a false dichotomy