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To get greater than 100% return on a growth step, give up defensiveness. Defensiveness stifles performance, and destroys relationships.
Henry Cloud
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Letting go of defensiveness can lead to better performance and healthier relationships.

This quote emphasizes the importance of relinquishing a defensive attitude in order to achieve significant personal growth and enhance interactions with others. By recognizing that defensiveness hinders not only individual performance but also damages relationships, one can foster a more open and constructive environment that facilitates positive change and development.

Themes

DefensivenessPerformanceRelationshipsGrowthCommunication

In practice

Example use cases

During a team meeting, sharing this quote can encourage teammates to communicate openly without being defensive.

More from Henry Cloud

Good pain is pain in the service of a purpose. Bad pain is pain endured because we are resisting a needed growth step.
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A good test of a relationship is how a person responds to the word 'no.' Love respects 'no,' control does not.
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When a child shuts down his painful emotional side, he also loses the ability to express his joyous side. Emotions are a whole. With anger comes the ability to express delight; with sadness comes the ability to express lightheartedness. This is the breadth of emotion that allows an adult to experience intimacy with a spouse, with God, and with his children
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One of the first signs that you’re beginning to develop boundaries is a sense of resentment, frustration, or anger at the subtle and not-so-subtle violations in your life. Just as radar signals the approach of a foreign missile, your anger can alert you to boundary violations in your life.
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The mature person meets the demands of life, while the immature person demands that life meet her demands.
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Things don't change in a marriage until the spouse who is taking responsibility for a problem that is not hers decides to say or do something about it.
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