We spend a lot of time and energy thinking about what other people might think or feel about something so we can sort out our response or next steps.
What do my customers think about the changes we’re making to the product?
What does my team think about this meeting?
What does my boss think about the project proposal?
What do our employees think about this new policy?
What is my student hoping to get out of this experience?
How does our community feel about our virtual programming?
Instead of spending this time and energy making assumptions, invest it in asking the people you’re thinking about. Ask them to better understand them.
You can even invite those you seek to serve to coach you to make things better for them. Building a habit of asking these two questions can build trust and unleash an abundance of helpful insights:
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What is working well?
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What can we do differently?
And be sure to say thanks for the feedback. It’s a gift.
