Collaboration is something that energizes me when others participate in a conversational dialog. Speech that is filled with a person’s belief about truth creates growth and expanded energy for our team. From my experience with myself and others, speaking the truth, no matter how different or incompletely communicated, new insights mature. From a good dialog, new energy results and growth happens.
When contributors feel safe to share their deepest truths out loud, it evolves into life and fosters thought and an open response instead of clattering around in their brain, where it wastes away unheard, unrewarded and unconfirmed.
When a contributor is perceived to be speaking from the depths of their beliefs of truth, without hidden itineraries, without need for individual validation, what is communicated is more effectively heard for its own virtues and emboldens others to do likewise. This encourages others with strong beliefs to discover deeper, different meanings that extend beyond the original premise of their truth. The outcome is new collaborative thinking and dialogue that creates growth, discovery and curiosity.
Five keys to achieving this kind of quality sharing are:
1. Self-respecting humbleness. As the leader you don’t ask for direct or implied assurances for everything you believe is truth.
2. No pre-judgment of the participants. Withhold judgement till you hear them out. Always be open to discovering the truth and expect that from others as well. Check out the book Truth and Lies by Mark Bowden.
3. Confer with your listeners. Establish a frequent habit of checking with the participants to be sure you have made your thoughts clear, that they understand your thinking. Regularly solicit their reactions to any critical or controversial points. Ask, does this make sense to you?
4. Pay attention to what is being said. Take as long as possibly to hear and respect the thinking (and feelings) of your listeners. Stay open. Stay present. The same letters in the word listen also spell silent.
5. Share outcomes. Communicate progress, even holdups, to the plans agreed upon.
The gift of sharing truths both spoken and received enables unbiased assumptions and opens new doorways to growth, gratification and success. This inspiration and appetite for truth is core to the fuel of any effective leader’s desire.
This does not happen by happenstance. It has to be deliberate and a coach can help this process. Our team went through some training on “Crucial Conversations” and found it beneficial. Let me know if you see some value in this blog and would like to engage a coach to help you move your “Truths” forward in your organization.
You are worth the investment in yourself, and please don’t ever forget it.
What are your next steps in your development? Care to share?
Travis Jones
Career Development Partners
Travis has been an entrepreneur and business owner in Tulsa for over 30 years. He is a certified Life Options Retirement Coach and is certified to facilitate and deliver the Manager As Coach Learning Series (MACLS) through CPI. He is also a certified Career Coach and DiSC Certified . He previously served on the board of Career Partners International (CPI) an equity partner in CPI, offering a global reach with over 350 offices
