Ask & Listen
“Oh, I assumed ….”
We’ve all heard the one about what assume means.
I often observe an upswing in assuming behaviours when teams feel the pressure of deadlines and competing demands. The bias to productivity leads to shortcuts in interpersonal and communication behaviours. This time of year is a classic time for it.
Too much assuming can lead to poor decision making, increased conflict, and a decrease in connection and trust.
We stay in our own heads and think things like:
‘Oh, they didn’t answer my email, they mustn’t be interested’
‘She’s really quiet in today’s meeting, she must be unhappy with the direction of the discussion’
‘He snapped at me when I suggested that idea, he must think it’s a bad one’
When we are curious enough to ask a question, or two, we can avoid making such assumptions, and we can deepen connection and understanding between team members. This is critical when workloads and stress are high.
As we bound into the holiday season at the usual breakneck speed, it’s the perfect time to stop, ask and listen, don’t you agree?