A few years ago, after listening to a strong leader for a really long time, I issued a specific, concrete, and actionable challenge to him. I was confident this challenge would make him better.
I gave him some CCD, freakin’ magic – stop the disclaimers.
His habit was to finish communicating his ideas with disclaimers. He would have good ideas, with crystal clarity and would confuse his audience with his patented disclaimer. He would finish his sending with – “Anyways. Or, I don’t know.” Disclaimers belong at the end of car commercials not the end of your good ideas. This week I gave another some similar feedback. He tends to send his ideas with his own disclaimers. He prefers to end with, “It might help, It might make it better, or the classic default of I don’t know.”
Of course you and I don’t know. All we “know” with complete certainty are death and taxes. You, leader, adding disclaimers at the end of your communication adds zero cred and creates more doubt. Zero cred and loads of doubt are NOT the ones you want. Master connectors share their ideas, beliefs, challenges, or comforting thoughts and leave it at that. Disclaimers provoke doubt. Disclaimers come from insecurity. If you are about to open your mouth and your mind is filled with fear, anxiety, and doubt, please do us all a favor and shut it up. You are not ready to be heard. Fact.
Slow down and reflect. Take a deep breath. Resolve your inner conflict and decide to either connect your audience to your idea or get curious by asking good, open ended questions that lead to clarifying your idea before you open your big mouth.
BTL leaders are both “my way IS the highway, and curious George.
They share their idea openly. They believe it represents the highway to performance. They are open to others ideas but only if they come with clarity and a better argument. When they don’t know the way forward, they admit as much and curious questions come with rapidity and purpose. BTL leaders are both confident of their highway and curious about yours.
BTL leaders are my way IS the highway, and curious George. And, neither one comes with a built in disclaimer. Damn straight.
Live hard. Love ❤️ harder. No disclaimers…
BUILT TO LEAD 