You cannot assume just because you’re in the same environment, they get it.
Your unique perspective, whether you clean the floors or run the organization, has value and the people making the decisions need you. They may not know it. They can’t know it unless you tell them.
In the last few days I’ve had a 2 CEOs, an NCAA coach, and a Head of Learning all be surprised at the way people on their teams or in their organizations had behaved. All four said almost the same thing, “This is so obvious, why don’t they get it?”
I asked, “Did you tell them?”
They all said, “No, they should know this.”
I asked, “Really?”
They said, “Oh.”
People say, “Yes” to you because they either don’t know or don’t want to make you uncomfortable. People act like they understand and everything is just fine because they don’t want to add drama to workplaces and organizations that already feel more frenzied than ever before.
If you don’t say what you see that can:
- Make things better
- Change the game
- Heal conflict
- Strengthen relationships
It won’t happen. The secret: Ask questions from which their answers prove they know what is so clear to you.
This is definitely true. I thought a lot of people in our company were on the same page with what we were doing with our digital marketing since we had talked about it. One sales meeting and a few phone calls later, I learned that it was best to NOT assume anything. We all know what happens when we assume…
I’m wondering if this may be one of the biggest communication problems in every relationship, team, and organization. And isn’t the amazing thing that the solution is just to ask if people are on the same page. Do you agree with that solution?