People always want to know how to have a better outcome with those horrible, difficult people in their lives.
I gave 2 keynotes on my topic of increasing collaboration within a day of each other.
After both of them, people came up to me to tell how one simple tool struck them.
I was a strong reminder of what regularly sticks is this small piece of information I share with folks:
“When someone is doing something that you view as wrong or bad, always assume the best intentions from them. You will approach them differently and the outcome will be better.”
If light-bulbs could light up over people’s heads during a aha moment, this is one spot in my talk that the room would be very bright.
Think about the times people misunderstood why we were doing something and how maligned we felt when judged.
So the next time someone is driving you crazy:
stop;
take a deep breath;
assume they have good intentions;
and ask them with kindness and curiosity why they did something.
They may be able to explain something you were not aware of or they may realize their mistake and feel safe enough to apologize.
I’ve seen relationships change when people do this with an open mind.
[Tweet “Remember that one small behavior change in ourselves impacts others’ behaviors.”]
Are you thinking it’s time to update your organization’s people skills? Let’s have a conversation to see if we’re a fit. Contact me directly or you can use my scheduler to pick a good time. Speak to you soon.
BIO
Monique works with organizations who want to reduce conflict to create a culture of collaboration, engagement and productivity. The most successful leaders are not infallible when faced with someone who “drives them crazy!” Her strategies to empower people to better understand each other and have better outcomes, while having fun, are appreciated by all who meet her. She draws from 30 years of crisis intervention and mental health work, she is a Level II Accredited Trainer for DISC as a Human Behavior Consultant and a Certified NLP Professional Coach. She loves meeting people and getting to know them and their industry. So feel free to reach out.