Communication

Communication is the hardest part.

Tom Petty said waiting was the hardest part. He was wrong. It’s communication.

Why is it so hard?

I’m glad you asked!

Personal History

• We all have different histories.
• Our personal history provides much of the context in which we think, act, react, and perceive our universe.

Same Page

• The term “Same Page” helps us understand how close or how far we are from having the same understanding of our communication context as the others trying to share in that context.

Getting on the Same Page

• Getting on the same page means listening for understanding of the perceptions of other people, sharing our perceptions with others, and working in a feedback loop where we are collectively creating a shared understanding of the topic or context of our discussion.
• In the ideal situation, we experience a collective “Aha!” moment where we all have a great jump in confidence that we are on the same page. At that moment, we feel that the differences in our perceptions are sufficiently insignificant that we can proceed in the broadening our shared vision.

Staying on the Same Page

• A next challenge is staying on the same page as we add details, brainstorm new possibilities, or try to establish some direction for our shared vision.
  • It’s important that we continue to monitor that feedback loop, ensuring that all collaborators feel that we remain on the same page.
  • Everyone’s participation is important.
  • Proposing additions to the shared vision is helpful only when all the collaborator’s are on the same page.
  • Proposed additions should be treated as proposals until there is consensus that the additions are understood by all the collaborators and there is consensus that there is potential value in the additions. (i.e. it helps when we are able to clearly distinguish the parts where consensus as been achieved from the parts where we’re still evaluating proposals to determine whether consensus can be achieved)

Consensus

• Consensus is achieved regarding a proposal when there is a shared understanding of the proposal and general agreement that there is potential value in the proposal.

Yes, And…

• Growing a shared vision is much like improvisational comedy. Each contributor refines or adds to the context, often extending aspects that seem to have specific value.
• As an effective collaborator, the job of each of us is to understand, support and help clarify the proposals of others as well as create and clarify our own contributions to the concept.

Seek first to understand, then to be understood.

• No. Really. Do that.

Abstraction