Us vs. Them

Ask questions to understand, not to judge.

Employees: Your boss used to be where you are. They have insight and information that you’re not aware of that’s informing their decisions. If there's something you can't piece together, asking for clarity makes you more effective and connected.

Bosses: Things that are obvious to you might not be obvious to your employees. Taking the time to explain the why behind your decisions empowers your employees, and creates a learning moment. If your people are struggling, asking for clarity on what's been challenging in their world gives you valuable perspective.

Asking with positive intent is much different than asking with a "prove it to me" mentality. Genuine curiosity builds trust; asking in judgment pushes us further apart.

It's not always easy to embrace what we discover. Sometimes our conversations reveal that the issue isn't with the system or the other parties involved, but ourselves. Even so, we're all better off for having the conversation.

Us vs. them cultures foster stress, aren't fun or rewarding, and don't inspire us to share our gifts to the fullest. This shouldn't be the stage on which we spend the bulk of our waking lives.

We're all on the same team.