Stop and think
Life has some really good lessons to make us better in business. Here is a brief example that I experienced first hand. I found it galling and humbling because it was so out of character with who I thought I was.
Yesterday my wife and daughter and I went to Yum Char for Sunday brunch, a thing we have done regularly since she was a tiny girl.
On the trip into town, Lily (13) says, “Dad, you can’t tell your 14 year old daughter that she is eating too much, or even observe how much she is enjoying her meal”. Mortified, I pathetically parried with “ I never have. If I said either of those things it would be to my 13 year old.”
I protested that I had never said such things and Lily insisted that I have. Now what does this have to do with business? This interaction was with one of the people I love most in the whole world. I am proud of her and would never intentionally hurt her. But I have and in the most grossly insensitive way. Fortunately we are close and this hasn’t taken the toll it might if we were a more distant dad/daughter combo.
In our business lives we have a multitude of conversations and interactions with a wide array of people. Some we are close to and others we are only acquainted to. Some we like a lot and some we have to grit our teeth to deal with.
When I can get it so wrong with one of my treasured and adored insiders without being conscious of it, how many other people out there have gotten the wrong impression from what I’ve said? They don’t have the level of intimacy with me that my daughter does and so have no context to interpret my words.
I pride myself on being pretty self-aware and a good communicator so I’m now reflecting on how I communicate and how I can do it so there is greater clarity and minimise the opportunity for misinterpretation and offence.
I suggest that we might all do this. We all have a very clear picture of who we are and when we speak we know we have nailed it every time. Perhaps we aren’t doing so well. Just stop and have a look. If you’re brave enough, ask some people around you what its like communicating with you. Given the most powerful business tool you have is your ability to communicate, this exercise could be salutary.
If you like, let me know what responses you get and lets talk about what positive change might look like.
By the way Lily, I love you baby and I’m sorry for being such an idiot. Dad xx
For more lessons from life for business, keep reading or listening and feel free to call me on +64 275 665 682 or email me at john.luxton@regenerationhq.co.nz
One last thing. If you have some curly problems in your business that could do with some help from a business with a strapline - business problems solved sensibly - you’ve come to the right place.