+1 (425) 442-3274 jonathan@sandcastlecompany.com
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The Culture+ Blog

Insights to help you create a compelling and connected culture

Communication needs to breathe

Trust it. We all get that gut instinct when we are communicating something to a team member and they are saying they get it, but you know they just aren’t getting it. Or, they are agreeing with you but you know they have some unexpressed reservations. On a podcast I was listening to this morning somebody said you could analyze a face in less than a third of one second. In a third of one second, you start to get a read on somebody and what they are thinking. This is one of our superpowers, but it only works if we trust it and then act on it. We have to read between the lines (either the lines on their forehead, or the lines they are speaking) to get at the truth. The truth might be that more explanation is necessary. The truth might be that they need to express some concern before moving forward. Whatever it is, as leaders let’s make room for the truth to bubble up to the surface.  Communication is not only about an exchange of words, it about an exchange of understanding. Understanding is verbal, physical, and emotional. So, maybe we have to slow things down and give communication a chance to breathe.

by Jonathan

Jonathan Wilson is the CEO of Sandcastle, a leadership training and development consultancy. He frequently speaks and writes about building high performance teams. Jonathan regularly presents his latest findings and insights to business and government leaders at local, state, and national association events (both in-person and virtual). His first book, Future Leader: Rebooting Leadership to Win the Millennial and Tech Future is available now.

Tagged: Leadership

Published on: May 1, 2019

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