When it’s time to lean in and participate in those tougher conversations, our ability to collaborate is critical if we want to #succeed. And it all starts with aligning on a common purpose.
Aligning on a common purpose means we have to make room to learn.
When you’re working with Data, you never stop learning. In fact, a good test to determine if you’re listening in conversations is to ask yourself the question “Am I learning?”
When we’re not learning, we tend to internalize our thinking and listen less. It’s not always easy to stay focused, especially when the topic is new, complex or confusing. Here are 3 questions that you can use to help you regain focus and #succeed.
Can you tell me more?
Sometimes in our rush, we gloss over a new concept, and we don’t realize everyone might not be familiar with it. If you don’t understand the details, it’s important to dig in until you get what you need. Chances are, you’re not the only one in the meeting with the question. Taking a moment to understand things in detail helps things move along faster and reduces surprises in the future.
Can you give me an example?
Many people learn better by hearing a new concept or idea within the context of something we’ve recently experienced. Analogies don’t go far here. It has to be relatable – whether it’s an example of getting a coffee, or what happened in a past project, this helps get everyone on a common understanding.
What do you mean by that?
The English language can be hard to interpret, even for those who speak it natively. Just yesterday, I had a lengthy conversation about using the word “liaison” in the correct context. Are you implying it as a noun? As a verb? Every word we use affects how well we understand each other and, therefore, how quickly we can move forward.
If you don’t hear one of these questions during your Data conversation, expect to need another meeting!
We all have enough meetings, but the worst is when you have to revisit a conversation because the last one wasn’t successful. So try using these 3 questions and let us know if they helped!