WEEK 38
DUDE, YOU'RE NOT GETTING IT…!
One of my best friends was in town. It had been a few years since being together.
We were in the middle of a high-energy, multi-topic conversation as we zipped around the city.
Then we hit a roadblock…
Neither one of us could seem to get our point across. If bystanders could have seen into our minds, they would see two men totally shutting down over their inability to communicate.
It can be difficult to be clearly understood at the best of times. We can choose to get defensive, or even take offense, but that doesn't solve the problem.
No one likes to be misunderstood. It’s one of the top reasons people avoid interaction and slip into isolation.
When we are misunderstood, we often fall into "fight or flight". We’ll either push our ideas more forcefully, or retreat altogether.
Outcomes:
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When we force an issue, reception to our ideas gets closed off.
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When we retreat, we begin to doubt our abilities and ourselves.
The truth is, we often need more clarity on what we are attempting to share. That takes a shift in our focus in the Circle.
Interaction and engagement provides an opportunity to deepen our own understanding of what we believe, rather than pushing agendas onto others.
Here’s the shift:
- Choose to see criticism from those you value as feedback
- Choose to be excited about the journey towards clarity
- Stop the clock on a need for immediate understanding
As you continue to exchange and engage, you will find that concepts in your mind become clearer and richer, to others and yourself. And that requires more time in the Circle.
My friend and I stepped back into our discussion with a different outlook.
Releasing the pressure to prove or push allowed us to see each interaction as an opportunity for clarification. Our need for immediate agreement faded, allowing for even more discovery, and a lot of laughter!
If you would like to learn more about breaking through into thriving engagement and our Step in the Circle Framework, I would love to bring an interactive keynote or workshop to your organization or group!
Let’s talk about reactivating leaders and teams through keynotes, team building & trainings!
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​If you’re social, let’s connect! - Follow me on LinkedIn and Instagram for insights, clips and quotes, as we continue to activate and guide others into the Circle!
P.S. We’re always looking to improve our newsletters as we share our message and grow this movement. If you have feedback or suggestions, we’d love to hear from you!
Keep Groovin'
Bradley
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© BRADLEY RAPIER