Learning v. Advocating

Copyright © 2004 by Don Blohowiak
Don@LeadWell.com   http://www.leadwell.com/

Many conversations and meetings turn counterproductive, even ugly, because they are not-so-subtle contests of power and will. The focus is on winning instead of learning.

Certainly there are times when it is appropriate, even desirable, to advance or defend a position. But too often (both on the job and off), what should be an exchange of information and mutual learning instead starts and ends as a battle of positions.

It is attack - defend, attack - defend; not, "here's what I know, what do you know?"

The chart below outlines common markers of each of these very different orientations to communicating with others.

Both Learning and Advocating attitudes can be appropriate and productive to achieving your aims. As a general rule, by taking a Learning approach first, you will become smarter, make better decisions, achieve more, and more positively impact others.

ACTION to Take

• Monitor your conversations and meetings. Listen to discern your communication mode: Are you doing more advocating or learning? What is the impact of that? Is that what you want?
  
  
• Work to maintain self-awareness so that you can choose your mode of communicating.
  
  
• Try intentionally moving from one mode to another, especially from your instinctive or preferred style to the other.
  
  
• Develop the discipline to consciously choose to adopt either a Learning or Advocating attitude in all your interactions.

Lead Well® helps organizations to improve measurable results by developing their current and future leaders. For more information, please contact us. By phone, toll-free in the USA: 1-888-LeadWell (532-3935), or 1-609-716-9490. By email, Info@LeadWell.com.

REPUBLICATION: Permission is granted for publishing this article in periodicals provided that you:

1) Notify us (Info@LeadWell.com) and

2) Include the following attribution statement:

Don Blohowiak, a management consultant and popular conference speaker, is the author of several business books. The executive director of the Lead Well® Institute in Princeton, NJ, he may be reached at http://www.LeadWell.com/.

SELLING this material requires our written permission.

TRADEMARKS: "Lead Well" and "Natural Selection" are registered trademarks, and "Lead by Design" is a trademark, owned by Don Blohowiak, Lead Well Institute.

Copyright © 2005, Don Blohowiak, Lead Well Institute

~ All Rights Reserved ~