Great post Kevin. I like the start small section as I think many people (not me of course lol) become paralyzed when the end point is the area of focus. I like to use a North Star approach to guide me generally…and short term wins to help me get out of inertia and into action!
Always love your writing. It makes me stop and THINK!
I'd also suggest "Can you help me to understand ... ?" as a great way to initiate non-confrontational questions and answers. This was shared with me by a friend and colleague and feels easy and non-threatening.
The other thing your article reminded me of was the whole inquiry vs advocacy approach. Early in my own career, when I thought I was right, which was usually, I could be pretty rigid in presenting the "facts" as I understood them. This put people off, to say the least. I was choosing a single perspective and then defending or "advocating" for it. The problem is that all anyone else has to do is to find one flaw in your argument and exploit it, and you lose the argument. I hate to lose. ;)
Then I read about the inquiry approach, where you ask questions and invite other perspectives into the discussion. This is a much more inclusive, flexible, and fluid approach that encourages the contributions and honors the thinking of others. The whole team learns and gets better together. Pro Tip: Take note of and call out the positive contributions other team members make, especially to leadership. This is how the best ideas and the consensus to actually accomplish them are created.
Spot on post Kevin, I think your guidance on reframing questions to be direct, depersonalized and kind is particularly impactful, as is the power of curiosity, it does makes things better all around :), thank you!
Great post Kevin. I like the start small section as I think many people (not me of course lol) become paralyzed when the end point is the area of focus. I like to use a North Star approach to guide me generally…and short term wins to help me get out of inertia and into action!
Always love your writing. It makes me stop and THINK!
Thanks, Rich. I love the North Star approach, as well. Thanks for reading!
Important stuff, Kevin. Thank you.
I'd also suggest "Can you help me to understand ... ?" as a great way to initiate non-confrontational questions and answers. This was shared with me by a friend and colleague and feels easy and non-threatening.
The other thing your article reminded me of was the whole inquiry vs advocacy approach. Early in my own career, when I thought I was right, which was usually, I could be pretty rigid in presenting the "facts" as I understood them. This put people off, to say the least. I was choosing a single perspective and then defending or "advocating" for it. The problem is that all anyone else has to do is to find one flaw in your argument and exploit it, and you lose the argument. I hate to lose. ;)
Then I read about the inquiry approach, where you ask questions and invite other perspectives into the discussion. This is a much more inclusive, flexible, and fluid approach that encourages the contributions and honors the thinking of others. The whole team learns and gets better together. Pro Tip: Take note of and call out the positive contributions other team members make, especially to leadership. This is how the best ideas and the consensus to actually accomplish them are created.
Great comments, Doug. Thanks for reading and contributing!
Spot on post Kevin, I think your guidance on reframing questions to be direct, depersonalized and kind is particularly impactful, as is the power of curiosity, it does makes things better all around :), thank you!