Page 180 - 6 Secrets to Startup Success

Integrity of Communication 159

to involving others, using multiple channels of communica-
tion to keep people in the loop while saving more inclusive
conversations for matters that are best resolved in a face-to-
face format.

9 Value data. Communicating with integrity hinges on the abil-
ity to distinguish fact from opinion and to infuse decision-
making processes with verifiable data and logical thinking.
The more passionate you are about a plan or a product, the
more vital it is to invite others to scrutinize your facts and
your logic. “You’re neither right nor wrong because other
people agree with you,” says Warren Buffett, chairman and
CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. “You’re right because your facts
are right and your reasoning is right, and that’s the only thing
that makes you right.”7

9 Encourage team members to share their left-hand columns. We
are all familiar with conversations in which what is talked
about is far removed from the unspoken thoughts and feel-
ings that swirl beneath the surface. Sometimes these thoughts
are not worth sharing. At other times, they point to issues
that desperately need attention. The left-hand column rep-
resents all of the data, insight, and emotion that we withhold
from others. If you want to elevate the quality of your con-
versations, you can do so by taking three simple steps: First,
become more aware of your unacknowledged thoughts and
feelings during key conversations. Second, skillfully share
these where relevant. Finally, invite others to do the same.

9 Balance advocacy and inquiry. In my consulting role with new
ventures, I sometimes assess the core team’s ability to solve
problems and make decisions. I often start by grabbing a
notepad and quietly observing the conversational patterns in
a team meeting. Everything that is said falls into two cate-
gories: advocacy, where team members assert, claim, or push
for their point of view, or inquiry, in which team members
seek to understand another person’s opinion or gather infor-

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