I don’t know if I’m ready yet. Will you ever feel ready?
I have trouble trusting people. Has this person proven his/herself untrustworthy yet?
You don’t understand my unique challenges. I’ve met with five others this week who have the same or similar challenges.
You don’t have the right qualifications to be in a leadership position. Have you seen the results I’ve produced?
You didn’t tell me you were negotiating this deal! Would you like it if I shared your confidential information with anyone and everyone?
Technically, there’s nothing wrong with doing this. But does that make it right?
I don’t know what my boss wants from me! Have you tried thinking about your work from his/her perspective?
You should be impartial. I should ensure that you get the best plan and the best chance for success.
I brought you in here as a consultant and now you’re ganging up on me. Do you want appeasement or what’s right and true?
We need these results…don’t you agree? I agree that we need to start from the same set of facts.
I just need to wait a little longer on this work; I’m very busy. You know the problems you recently faced will return unless they’re fixed, right?
We need to implement this right this second. We need to develop a sustainable plan for long-term success.
We need to hold people accountable, so we get results. Accountability is great, but results depend on clarifying why what you do adds value.
This might fail. It might. But it might succeed beyond what you or anyone imagined, and the downside of failing is insignificant.
I just don’t always feel respected and appreciated. You’re a spoiled brat, only child, and you want me to do something about that?!
Every one of the pairs of exchanges above is from actual conversations I have had with clients, prospective clients, and/or colleagues in my career. Except for the last one…
The last response was to me by one of my most appreciated and beloved advisors.
We say we want the truth, but we mean we want validation. Only one leads to the results that matter.
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