Intention-Strength
The curious seeker of meaning, motivation and congruence
Why do you do what you do, and does it match what you find important? Behind behaviour that looks odd from the outside there is almost always an understandable need. At work it also means: say what you mean. A question from a line manager quickly sounds like an instruction.
What you may notice at work
- A question ("have you got a minute?") is taken as an instruction, or a hint is missed.
- Directness that comes across as blunt, or a roundabout route that lands as unclear.
- Motivation that drains away with work that has no clear purpose.
What helps
- Say what kind of question it is: "This is a question, not an instruction. No is a perfectly good answer too."
- Explain why something needs doing and for whom, not just what.
- Give people a say over the how, within a clear goal.
- Give feedback on content, with an example attached.
Tools for Intention-Strength
Question or instruction?
Exercise: how does a sentence land with someone who listens literally?
Sentence check
Paste a message and see which words land as unclear or unsettling.
Agenda item in three lines
Your point, what you are asking and what you need, plus phrases to bring the discussion back.
Question translator
Abstract interview questions turned into concrete ones.
More in the toolkit
In the toolkit, the card for Intention-Strength also explains what may be underneath what you see, and gives sentences you can use in a conversation. Try it free for 14 days.