So many of us have great intentions, but our communication skills do not always support the work of our hearts. Learning to communicate effectively, especially in the hard moments, takes training and practice! Greenspring Center is delighted to partner with Cassi Mackey, who brings great wisdom and techniques to the critical work of communicating well and supporting the relationships within our organizations.
Our relationships define our organizations. And our communication either elevates and nurtures or corrodes those relationships. Yet often we don’t know how best to communicate with others, particularly when there is an issue.
Ask yourself – are you having front door conversations?
What is interesting is how often those with a concern feel that they have addressed the issue with another person, and yet they are not seeing the results that they hoped for. When we hosted Cassi Mackey on our podcast [listen here!] I learned the easiest way to address this. Cassi shared that communication is like a house and that we have many different ways that we can get into the house. So let’s say that you have someone you work with that is late every day for work. It is impacting your community, you end up having to prepare a good deal of the classroom without them and you are always feeling rushed. To have the conversation, we can enter the house in a number of different ways:
We can climb in through a window of the house, which is like sneaking communication in – not directly and not clearly, but you have gotten into the house (and you might feel pretty good about that). This may sound like, “The children seem to be beating you into school lately! We miss you.”
Or we can come in the backdoor of the house, which is more direct, but still not clear. This may sound like, “I was really hoping to make a parent phone call today before school.”
Often times when we have an issue with another person, we fear these interactions because we worry they will hurt the person’s feelings or we are uncomfortable with the confrontation. However, by stepping directly into the conversation through the front door, we are offering them a gift, bringing our true selves. Clarity is kindness and it is imperative that we embrace this culture within our organizations. Courageous Conversations with Cassi Mackey will show you how with actionable steps.
The work you are doing is so important and we are here to help. As always, we are better together.
