Ques�ons from Your Employees? te Dialogue and Understanding David Grossman
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Demonstrate empathy as you answer ques�ons – put yourself in their shoes Be respec�ully authen�c. Being honest and who you are doesn’t give any of us a pass to be rude or inten�onally offensive Employ the 3 + 1 communica�ons approach: oWhat we know … oWhat we don’t know … oWhat we’re working on finding out oProac�vely bust myths …
Tip 3: Bridge Bridging helps you get back on track if ques�ons are star�ng to pull you down a path that isn’t helpful or distract you from the key points you’re trying to get across. Here are two key steps for successful bridging: �
Address the ques�on being asked, but don’t stop there
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Use key words or phrases as a bridge to get back to a point you want to make
Is it Ever Okay to Ignore a Ques�on? Should you just ignore certain ques�ons? No! You should never just ignore a ques�on you don’t like. You need to address it, even if it is just to say you don’t have the answer at this �me. Then use your bridging technique to get back to what it is you want people to know. When you apply these �ps, you’ll be ready to answer all sorts of ques�ons that help ins�ll confidence that you’re doing your best to keep the team as informed and “in the loop” as possible. That goes a long way toward building trust, engagement and buy-in from your employees.
What are some of the toughest ques�ons you’re facing from employees today, and how are you demonstra�ng strong leadership in the way you respond? —David Grossman
You can bridge to a key message by using some phrases like these: �
"However …"
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"Something else that may be of interest …"
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"I can’t speculate on that but what I can tell you is …"
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"What you should know is …"
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"The most important ques�on we should be asking is …"
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"Before we go too far down that path, let me add …"
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Good Teacher Magazine Issue 2 2021
27
