Use this in your next meeting
‘Buffi, this really made such a difference – I wish I had known it sooner!’ – my French CEO client.
What changed the game in her meetings? It was 3 simple words I shared with her.
Acknowledge.
Then answer.
You see, when she was asked a question in a meeting, she immediately answered it. She wanted to show that she knew the answer, was capable, professional, and absolutely on the ball.
Then the question was answered, and they moved on to the next point.
This, to me, is often a missed opportunity.
If you first ACKNOWLEDGE the question, you might find out a LOT more about where that question is coming from.
Here’s what she did, instead of immediately jumping into ANSWER mode.
‘Thanks for asking that question – it’s an important one. I can see that this issue is really important for you and your department. Can you tell me how long this has been going on for?’
His response:
‘Well, it’s been going on for half a year, but nobody dared to ask about it, we didn’t want to bother you, but it’s snowballed and now we really need to take action.’
WOW.
If she had just answered and moved on, she would never have connected with her colleague about what’s really going on. This new approach truly elevated her meetings and made them much more effective.
If you acknowledge someone’s question, they feel seen and heard.
They feel connected.
And communication is ALL about connection.
Try this the next time you get a question.
And let me know what happens!
Liefs,
Buffi
