Whether it’s a client, your spouse, or your child,
What you say and what they hear can be worlds apart.
I pause and ask my clients if any of the industry jargon I used was confusing.
My wife and I use it to analyze the catalyst that caused a disagreement so we can resolve our differences.
I ask my kids to repeat something I’ve said and then give me an example to ensure they understand.
The best part of listening is when your client, spouse, or child teaches YOU something because they understood it better than you did.
My daughter is making the difficult decision of whether to end a friendship.
She is using the skills my wife and I have given her about advocating for herself in tough situations.
As I drove her to school today, I could tell the need to decide weighed heavy on her heart.
She shared with me her position.
I noted there is only one solution.
I asked her about her interests.
She realized there were many solutions.
By the time we arrived at school, she decided she had three options that would help her decide how she would proceed – Options I would have never thought of in that situation.
It was refreshing to see her head into school with so much creativity and grace.
What stories can you share where what you say and what they hear were different? Drop it in the comments.
