Elevating Benefit of the Doubt The benefit of the doubt, given thoughtfully, can be the catalyst for expanded creativity and possibility. Rather than relinquishing control, you instead create an enlivened space for someone who is taking the next step. Benefit of the doubt, in its most elevated expression, invites you to embrace the unknown as …
Benefit of the Doubt
Author Archives: Hannah Kaiser
Elevating Conversations—Intro
A conversation cannot stand alone. Every word exchanged becomes a piece of a bigger story. Conversations may be intermittent, but they are ultimately ongoing as they slowly carve out the shape of relationships. Elevated conversations involve more than honesty and sincerity—they are fundamentally proactive forces that build forward momentum, always setting up conditions for things …
Elevating Conversations—Listening Between the Lines
Elevating a conversation requires awareness of the other person’s story. That story may differ from ours, leading them to make assumptions that confuse us or take approaches to the conversation that surprise us. These hidden factors aren’t always disruptive, but they can sometimes stifle momentum and progress: My concerns are often dismissed. I don’t have …
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Elevating Conversations—Unintended Consequences
Subversive conversational habits may appear worth it in the moment. Airing grievances to a sympathetic third party feels cathartic or even justified. Asking a difficult question can trap someone into giving you the information you really want. Divesting yourself from a situation now can relieve you of responsibility if it goes wrong later. These …
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