Comments on: Getting the Most Information Out of Every Conversation http://www.bluepointleadership.com/blog/archived-posts/getting-the-most-information-out-of-every-conversation/ Bluepoint Blog Fri, 10 Sep 2010 08:50:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Jeff Giraud http://www.bluepointleadership.com/blog/archived-posts/getting-the-most-information-out-of-every-conversation/#comment-646 Jeff Giraud Wed, 11 Feb 2009 17:28:32 +0000 http://www.bluepointleadership.com/blog/?p=50#comment-646 Excellent article and the issue is very much alive and well in my current organization. In my part-time life as a professor of communiction, I teach my students that the concept of "information filtering" begins at some point in childhood. We begin learning what to tell mom and dad based on their reactions to the relative (no pun intended) risk/reward of the sharing event. That pattern of behavior is well established by the time we become adults in the workforce...effective parenting usually will lead to a pattern of honest an open communication later in life not only in the work place but in all walks of life. Each of us has our own built in cost/benefit analysis meter for communicating with people we perceive to have power over us. Your article hits the nail on the head - leaders must understand that these filters exist and find the key to unlock the filter for each individual in their organization. In my full time life as a battalion fire chief, I work hard to develop a trusting relationship and get through the filters...but sometimes you just never really know what people are hiding (my 8 year-old daughter is still teaching me new lessons every day!) Excellent article and the issue is very much alive and well in my current organization.
In my part-time life as a professor of communiction, I teach my students that the concept of “information filtering” begins at some point in childhood. We begin learning what to tell mom and dad based on their reactions to the relative (no pun intended) risk/reward of the sharing event. That pattern of behavior is well established by the time we become adults in the workforce…effective parenting usually will lead to a pattern of honest an open communication later in life not only in the work place but in all walks of life. Each of us has our own built in cost/benefit analysis meter for communicating with people we perceive to have power over us. Your article hits the nail on the head - leaders must understand that these filters exist and find the key to unlock the filter for each individual in their organization. In my full time life as a battalion fire chief, I work hard to develop a trusting relationship and get through the filters…but sometimes you just never really know what people are hiding (my 8 year-old daughter is still teaching me new lessons every day!)

]]> By: Adolph Escobedo http://www.bluepointleadership.com/blog/archived-posts/getting-the-most-information-out-of-every-conversation/#comment-645 Adolph Escobedo Tue, 10 Feb 2009 22:05:56 +0000 http://www.bluepointleadership.com/blog/?p=50#comment-645 When it comes to leaders and team members alike; they don’t know what they don’t know. To add to your list of inviting questions for additional knowledge or information sharing I would like to recommend a question I learned from Bob Johnson during a Coaching seminar early last year, Can you tell me a little more about (subject)? Other questions include “Do you feel like you want to say more about (subject)?” or “How do you feel about (subject)?” I have found that asking questions which are tied to a person’s emotional grounding have more affect on a person wanting to elaborate more. Leader’s today should invest in employees that can constructively push back. The proverbial “Yes” man in today’s environment will only cast a darker shadow on the areas that need the most light. To ensure you are not left in the dark with regards to information, leaders must get comfortable with asking provoking questions. With respect to the job market crisis that has occurred across industry lines for well over a year now; employees are experiencing a heightened level of emotion. Instead of theorizing about the idea of doing more with less, they are being forced to practice it. Getting to the heart of the matter might take a bit of coaxing however, I have found that taking the time to build a strong bond with team members where unbiased knowledge sharing can truly occur strengthens the team and increases their profitable impact. When it comes to leaders and team members alike; they don’t know what they don’t know.

To add to your list of inviting questions for additional knowledge or information sharing I would like to recommend a question I learned from Bob Johnson during a Coaching seminar early last year, Can you tell me a little more about (subject)? Other questions include “Do you feel like you want to say more about (subject)?” or “How do you feel about (subject)?”

I have found that asking questions which are tied to a person’s emotional grounding have more affect on a person wanting to elaborate more. Leader’s today should invest in employees that can constructively push back. The proverbial “Yes” man in today’s environment will only cast a darker shadow on the areas that need the most light. To ensure you are not left in the dark with regards to information, leaders must get comfortable with asking provoking questions.

With respect to the job market crisis that has occurred across industry lines for well over a year now; employees are experiencing a heightened level of emotion. Instead of theorizing about the idea of doing more with less, they are being forced to practice it. Getting to the heart of the matter might take a bit of coaxing however, I have found that taking the time to build a strong bond with team members where unbiased knowledge sharing can truly occur strengthens the team and increases their profitable impact.

]]> By: John http://www.bluepointleadership.com/blog/archived-posts/getting-the-most-information-out-of-every-conversation/#comment-642 John Tue, 10 Feb 2009 14:50:39 +0000 http://www.bluepointleadership.com/blog/?p=50#comment-642 This post is "Not even wrong." There are two business people in America who want the truth---Warren Buffett and Charles Munger, and that is because they are owners, not managers. Are we to believe, for a moment, that this Admiral wasn't about spinning those to whom he reported. Munger's wise counsel, well stated in The Psychology of Human Misjudgment, is far more helpful. Pay people to tell you the truth and they will. You did not counsel such (nor better yet) tackle exactly how such can be done. This post is “Not even wrong.” There are two business people in America who want the truth—Warren Buffett and Charles Munger, and that is because they are owners, not managers.

Are we to believe, for a moment, that this Admiral wasn’t about spinning those to whom he reported.

Munger’s wise counsel, well stated in The Psychology of Human Misjudgment, is far more helpful. Pay people to tell you the truth and they will. You did not counsel such (nor better yet) tackle exactly how such can be done.

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