Alastair Wallace says unclear intent creates confusion and threat responses in listeners. State your intent explicitly at the start: "I asked to see you today to see how I can support you with your new role." Assuming positive intent in others keeps focus on progress instead of blame.
I would like to share this hack with you today to help avoid that awkward social pain of being misunderstood by people. Whether it's why you took an action, what you meant to say, your facial expression, or the wrong choice of word, any of these things can dramatically affect your impact as a leader and also your own self-confidence. When people don't understand your intentions, it creates division and confusion, and they'll just fill in the blanks. Biologically, as humans, many of us will have a threat response in such situations, and we don't want that. So, when you're writing or talking with your team, arranging a meeting, delivering a change, ensure your intent is clearly laid out from the start. A simple statement like, "I asked to see you today to see how I can support you with your new role," encourages relevant questions and relevant participation. Summoning someone to a meeting to discuss your performance already sounds a bit scary. Boundaries can be liberating, and the mystery and confusion is averted. Having positive intent when you speak, whatever the situation, even the sticky ones, And understanding that most people have a positive intent for their own actions keeps you focused on progress and not blame. Like, share, follow if you found this one interesting. See you soon.
