Funny thing, truth. So many say so much about the truth. So many claim to say only the truth. And still, so many people don’t quite get to hear the truth.
Like the phrase, “Do you want to know the truth?”. It’s spoken as if the answer will come back with, “No, please lie to me instead.” Or sometimes people make a big deal about saying, “Okay, so I will tell you the truth” as if what they had been speaking up to that point had only been a lie.
Lately I have networked with a number of agents across the country where we have been helping each other improve our communication skills. The strange part is that I will speak to agents who have been in the business for over 10 years and I will tell them the truth about how they speak and how it could be interpreted by the listener – only to find out that nobody ever mentioned that to them before. And some of these folks spend thousands of dollars per year for coaching and their coach had never mentioned it.
Mind you, one need not be brutal when speaking the truth. One can be tactful and compassionate in it’s delivery. Recently, I spoke with an agent that as we spoke I could immediately tell they were not originally from the United States. When I found out where she was from, I could easily explain to her how her native country’s culture would be interpreted in this country and how her language patterns could be confusing. Mind you, this is a great agent. But nobody ever took the time to tell her the truth about her “blind spots” in her business. I can’t tell you how much I am looking forward to seeing how fast her business grows now that she knows what to improve.
We can speak the truth to our friends, coworkers, and family. And when we do so with tact and compassion, we benefit greatly when we allow them to speak into our lives and our blind spots the very same way. In fact, I find I am at my best when I just ask trusted friends, “What am I overlooking? What are my blind spots.” That truth can set you free!
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