Listen Closely
Is that a ‘but’ I hear?
Listen … can you hear it, too?
In my years of running listening sessions and observing teams in action, I am always listening closely to the words we use.
As I’ve said once, or thrice, before: our words have power.
Sometimes, words can be power destroyers. BUT is an example of such a word.
“You’ve done well today … BUT ….”
“I agree … BUT … “
“I want you to run with this … BUT … “
Using the word ‘but’ in these examples reduces the power of what comes before and, for most of us, turns our attention toward the qualifying, and contradictory, part of the sentence.
In our workplaces, ‘but’ can have a negative impact on our team relationships, reducing trust and openness in the way we communicate.
I am consistently fascinated by how making a tiny, albeit tricky, change can make a huge difference. Removing the contradictory ‘but’, or replacing it with ‘and’, can reap huge rewards in our teams. I hear it, and see it, all the time.
I’m curious, next time you’re listening closely to yourself and your team, what do you hear?