Fundamental 4 of Leadership: Communication: Challenging the Story

Our minds like to make up stories that make sense to us in order to explain a situation or behavior we observe. If we want to build strong, trusting relationships, it is important to avoid reacting to our non-verified assumptions. Instead, we can use our communication skills by asking powerful questions to reassess a situation; this challenges the story We’ve created and broadens our perspective. It will help unblock our way of thinking when we are feeling stuck and bring forth new ways of thinking that can inspire new ideas. Knowing your boss’s communication preferences—and not assuming they’re the same as yours—is critical for building an effective working relationship. One way to challenge your assumptions is by investigating how your boss goes about solving problems.