If we could see that “difficult” coworker in all her contexts, we might find her to be a devoted friend outside the office, a caring sister, a loving aunt to her nieces. It’s then harder to judge that coworker, to reduce her to a singular unflattering personality trait and in the process strip her of what makes her human—her complexity. Remembering that there is more to that person than the context that finds both of us together in that moment opens up the door for us to treat others with a deeper understanding and respect than essentialist thinking ever allows us to. And that understanding
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