Paradigm Shift

I came across another book by an author that I read ages ago but who impacted my life big time.  Steven Covey.  “The Seven Habits of Highly successful People.”  He introduced me to the concept of a paradigm shift.  That has impacted my view of the world.
The thought is “don’t presume something is some way until the story is heard.”  It was an illustration I will not forget.  A guy sitting in a train (I travelled to work almost every day by train) and his kids were running amok.  The other passengers were becoming irate.  The presumption was, he just did not know how to look after his kids.
Finally, a passenger approached him and asked him to control his kids.  As if coming out of a daze the man apologized.  He said we have just come from the hospital and their mum died.  We are all having trouble knowing what to do.
In an instant the passengers attitude changed.  Once they knew the reason they were there to help.  It is imagination on my part as it was an illustration only, but I imagine some mums getting long side the kids to try and bring a little level of normalcy.  Guys would get with the dad to let him know he was not alone.  Even those who did nothing would be more understanding of the why.
As I say that impacted me big time.  I remember a guy at work decades ago saying, “never presume.”  That is so easy to do.  It is so easy to make judgements on only a part of the story and knowing the whole story elicits a different response.
I remember a boss I had that I admired so much when I heard a response of his.  He had been told something about an employee and it got his back up.  But he said I want to hear the other side before I make a decision.
That to me is so important.  I remember being told something by someone close to me.  I was supposed to immediately condemn the one being spoken about and side with the one close to me.  I was inclined to believe the one talking to me as he was not given to lying but to me that alone was not enough to inform my decision.  I know I annoyed him by not reacting to him as he intended.
But the fact is I could not. Everyone deserves the right to be heard.  Everyone has their own take on events.  Everyone has their own reasons for doing something.  I do not think I am being fair to make a call based only on the point of view of one. 
I do think it is my job to make a call though.  The important thing to me is I make it based on as much of the story as I can rather than just the hearsay.  And to try and understand the why.