Could tone become the top new smart skill that ensures an innovative future? One where genius talents can rise to the surface as diverse tools forward together!
It’s easier to teach brain-compatible tone, than for leaders to model it in tough situations. Innovative executives I have known, though, possess an unusual awareness of how one can help folks disagree, build goodwill, and learn from opposing views on any topic – as all look to research, and as people collaborate to implement brain compatible communication skills together.
Have you seen it happen in the MIX?
Few would disagree that an organization that disagrees well, is often one that prospers and you can trace tone problems to the root of many organizational failures. Einstein put it this way … “Few people are capable of expressing with equanimity opinions which differ from the prejudices of their social environment. Most people are even incapable of forming such opinions."
It doesn’t need to be that way, and I am keenly interested in how to implement tone so that opposing views can emerge because all participants can speak and feel heard, without barriers from poor tone.
Tone takes different shapes in different settings, and yet its facilitation can lead to growth in most discussions With Online life increasing, for instance – online tone is more critical than ever too. Survey tone skills at http://www.brainleadersandlearners.com/mita-question/what-do-your-tone-skills-say/ to see areas involved at work.
Rarely easy at first, tone, in successful circles, allows people to disagree openly, and yet learn from others at the same time. Good tone enables people to show opposite angles of an issue with respect for all speakers, regardless of their views.
The result? People fail to draw upon multiple talents for innovative solutions often needed in these tough times.
Instead, folks shut down intelligent voices, through lack of good tone tactics, and in so doing they also truncate brainpower that innovative communities desperately crave.
As we all help to rebuild very broken systems, we also face tone problems in today’s western cultures, where people battle other people rather than learn skills to pull the innovation train along together for shared dividends.
The Solution?:
Tone is a top new smart skill that ensures an innovative future where genius talents can rise to the surface as tools forward! Luckily we can overcome our brain’s default for ruts that foster poor tone as evidenced in many conflicts – to create instead - tone for an innovative world order forward.
Here are a few tools proposed as discussion points, for disagreeing in ways that build goodwill.
Most agree it’s a daily choice though to use tone Solutions for tonic or toxins in tough times. http://www.brainleadersandlearners.com/tone/tone-disagrees-without-toxins/
Those who tend to avoid disagreement or run from conflict, rather than express their insights with confidence and courage, may enjoy tone tools MITA implements in groups it facilitates:
1. Affirm another person’s thoughts before sharing your views on the other side - to show that you really heard, sorted, and valued them. (notice I did not say agree with them)
2. Thank people for different ideas presented and show how you’ve tried or considered them further. Toss your own ideas into the ring to show and explain differences you see.
3. Share personal experiences respectfully as another angle to think about together – rather than as a need to replace the original ideas that were presented. Remember you are looking to stir and learn from diverse sides of the issue.
4. Ask two footed questions, rather than offer your own opinion too quickly. For instance… Have you thought about…? What if…? Could another possibility be …?
5. Add unique ideas to the mix – to inspire with confidence – more as part of a good discussion – than a need to top the original points. Make sure you support your best ideas with concrete examples to help people see possibilities presented.
6. Avoid meta messages – that suggest for instance, I regret that your ideas stink! That message masks poor tone and would be better stated, by a sincere, question such as: Have you considered…? Or ask a person to elaborate and suggest ways you are considering the ideas. Better still learn from the ideas by trying them out, and then share the results as a way of tweaking how you roll out the person’s ideas so they obtain better results.
7. Welcome opposing views so that people can trust they will not get attacked when they use good tone to offer opposing views for consideration.
8. Support others by cheerleading more than criticizing what does work well, more than attacking parts you disagree with in any exchange. If you have developed ruts for demanding opinions, try staying silent when you differ and offering encouragement where you agree. That practice in the opposite direction of needing to be right, allows for tone that engages many views without attacking people who differ.
9. Collaborate with different people, in ways that bring in different beliefs, backgrounds, genders, and ages. Use a tone that offers inclusion for differences, rather than one that prioritizes top voices that agree with yours.
10 Facilitate goodwill among those who differ, by adding ideas of value from both sides of people on opposite poles of controversial issues. Think of it as the skill that would help political leaders to focus more on shared ideas that build a finer future together, than wasted energy given to fight one another – in order to come out on top – while avoiding the shared insights that help people they serve.
What do you think?
Many thanks Stav, yes I am aware of Goleman's works and see their value as you suggest,. MITA uses multiple intelligences, of which intrapersonal intelligence includes emotional, and tone is part of that intelligence. It's about morals, and values, and confidence, and integrity and courage. Yes, there are deeply needed - I agree:-)
I believe the guiding spirit of Innovation is the Will and I do not think it is tone or rewards that create the Will. Tone only helps to conserve the creative energy at best. I say at best cause the energy needs stimulation and that may come from occassional destruction of the tone.
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