It is important to assume 'good intent' in your team, it can help fast track change in organizations. For more information watch this video and visit our website The question for you is - Do you assume good intent in your teams? Imagine what it would be like if you could!
I can certainly assume good intent with my family. Even when I am being told I put too much chili in the curry or if I have had one too many glasses of Chardonnay's. Although I hate it, I know the ones that love me come with good intent.
For me, we do not do that enough in business. There are so many problems in life which are caused by us not assuming good intent. They are caused because we take offence when it is rarely given or rarely meant. We don't try to understand where the person is coming from and often those issues can last for ages. For example, I worked with one team up in the mountains and we were crossing a 100 foot chasm with a waterfall rushing right the way through it and all they had was ropes. I asked one guy if he would have this lady hold the other end of the rope for him and she was one of his colleagues and he said "noway, never, she is dead to me". I was in shock. He said she crossed one of his values a few years ago and that was it, he wrote her out his life. I asked him if he ever told her and he said no. So, half an hour later and within 5 minutes of bringing them together and having a conversation they were hugging and it was all a misunderstanding. She was mortified that that was how he had seen her all this time but they are very close friends now.
This is a lesson for all of us. Can we learn to take the other persons point of view first, can we try and inquire where the other person is coming from before we take offence? Especially when we are dealing with colleagues across the world in other countries who we do not hear from very often and we start to make assumptions and create conspiracy theories.
What I have found out with all the many people I have worked with is that everyone is fighting the same fight, everyone has got their own stuff going on that they are dealing with. This could be problems at home, stress at work, money, the boss and it effects our behavior. How I feel effects my behavior and effects my performance. So often people don't come across most positively, we take offence when actually people are just fighting their own fight.
So, it is a good chance to think about this in your own teams. How can you get to know each other better, how can you start to understand what people are dealing with? How can you get that level of trust in your team where you can just assume good intent all the time. I tell you what it is just so officiant and so effective. We don't have to take things personally, we can just try and listen to what people are saying, get on with it, make some decisions and get on with your business.
If you like this video please leave us a comment and maybe tell us about some of the leadership and team behaviors that your having problems with and we would love to help you.
For other videos on team effectiveness check out my 'Teamwork' playlist:
For other videos on leadership check out my 'Leadership' playlist:
For regular videos on leadership advice, personal development, leadership development, teamwork, team effectiveness, confidence, behavioral development, executive coaching & CEO advice then SUBSCRIBE to this channel.
You can also find me at:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/andy-kelly-sundial
Twitter: SundialConsult1
0 Comments