(Posted in the Huffington Post on March 1, 2013) My family and I were sitting around my mother’s dinning room table when this question popped into my head. Having a very vocal family where everyone has strong opinions, I knew I was in for a hearty conversation. I was surprised however at how this simple question ignited a fascinating, deep hour-long conversation. I learned a lot, understood even more and by the end of the conversation I felt understood. What has happened since that discussion has been amazing. Every conversation I have had with the members of my family who participated in that dinner dialogue has been exponentially richer. We love each other deeply however we have a long history of talking over each other, each of us battling to be right. This has resulted in hurt feelings, feelings of not being understood and a lot of frustration. By engaging in the simple question - Is it better to understand than to be understood, we miraculously have shifted our focus from b