In the course of our work in leadership development we are asked to develop programs for our clients. One of the most popular development areas focuses on communication. While there are a variety of topic areas and assessments we cover, a common kick-off point for our introduction is the difference between impact and intent.
In a group setting we ask participants to name the communication-related behaviors they perceive as problematic or annoying in their workplaces. Most lists include behaviors like: “don’t share their opinions,” “dominate conversations,” “whine,” “don’t ask questions”, “don’t want to hear varying viewpoints.” These would be our examples of impact – how others’ communication style impacts us.
