Unconditional Positive Regard in Action

This is one of the three most impressive videos I've ever seen, and I can't even name the other two (yes, I'm sandbagging, just in case I think of any others).

It's a clip that's featured in the two-day Egonomics workshop. It's used to show what 'Unconditional Positive Regard' looks like in action. I found it on YouTube today and wanted to share it.

Watch it and then we'll continue.



Fred (Mr. Rogers) Rogers is clearly a hen facing a wolf, but he wins anyway.
How is that possible?

It's possible because Fred Rogers sincerely holds Senator Pastori in Unconditional Positive Regard. UPR was a term coined by well-known psychologist Carl R. Rogers (no relation to Fred Rogers). The term means that you suspend judgement and listen to a person with the belief that they can change.
It has to be sincere, or it's meaningless.

Now watch the video again, and see how Fred Rogers trusts Senator Pastori to do what's right, and allows him the space to do so. I'll wait.....

How impressive is that? It's like a superpower, isn't it?
On a scale of 1 to 10, what's your ability to invoke UPR with your worst antagonist?
Can you do better next time?