What is a compromise?

Lights out Alice!

A new day brings with it a renewed vigour in me to make myself better and more amenable to people and their ideas. That lasts about as long as the first meeting of the day I have to attend to. I really try hard to listen but most of the time I feel like most discussions and brainstorming sessions are based on people trying to force their ideas, opinions or their way of looking at things on others. Don't worry, I don't think I am the exception in all this. I am actually the best example of how a person thinks he is better (read egotistical and narcissistic) and pushes other people and their ideas out, lives inside an echo chamber and demeans others, all the while believing that they are open and pretty accommodating.

But, on the flipside, how much am I expected to give in each time? 

How do I discern that the person knocking my ideas down is not just doing it out of spite but out of actual well being and concern for the project? 

I keep asking myself, am I unable to communicate effectively? But how much do I bring myself down to accommodate people who do not want to exert their brain? Isn't the point of work everyday to learn new things and grow? Am I pushing ideas and other POVs out and rejecting things just from my initial judgement without actually giving it time and serious thought?

I really hope I am not being the idiot in all this, expecting myself to be steadfast and classy whereas I was just being gaudy with bravado all along. Fancy words, tall claims but to no actual effect.

I need to create protocols to get better at receiving feedback Alice!