Open and Honest: Part 1 — Ask. Don’t Tell.

Professional EOS Implementers® have two expectations for the sessions that they facilitate with their clients: That everyone is both open and honest. What does “open” mean?
I explain “open” to my clients as “be intentionally curious simply to understand the other person’s view.” Each team member has a unique perspective or opinion. Sometimes that perspective has a lot of knowledge on a topic. Sometimes very little. In either case, each perspective is equally valuable – not because of the knowledge, but because of the mind in which that perspective resides. Mindsight is the recognition that there is a brain behind the face in front of me, and what goes on inside that brain – the thoughts, memories, and emotions – all form a set of unique opinions and perspectives. The person is unique and valuable, and therefore, so is their opinion and perspective.
Being curious is a predominantly right brain function. This means that our right brain – the relational brain – must be “on” and operating fully as God designed it. This will cause us to be genuinely curious – intentionally listening, seeking to understand and acknowledge what others are trying to express. This requires asking questions, not giving (telling) information or answers.
When we’re seeking to tell someone something, we are operating predominantly out of the left, or logical, brain. Telling, not asking, elevates your own knowledge or opinion above the other person’s. In their book, Humble Inquiry – The Gentle Art of Asking Instead of Telling, authors Edgar Schein and Peter Schein describe our arrogance in telling:
  1. You think you know more than they do
  2. Your knowledge is the correct knowledge, and
  3. You have the right to structure other people’s experience for them.
Ask. Don’t tell. Engage your right brain and be curious. As Stephen Covey said, “Seek first to understand.”
Let’s talk about how to operate full-brained with your team: brent.stromwall@eosworldwide.com.
Professional EOS Implementer® is a registered trademark of EOS Worldwide (http://www.eosworldwide.com/).

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