05/02/2026
Intent can build walls or bridges. Which are you building?
๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฒ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ : "What was your intention?"
Weโve all been there.
An email feels short. A comment in a meeting feels like a slight. A process change feels like a personal hurdle. Our natural instinct is to react to the action - to feel offended, hurt, or overlooked.
But what if we paused?
The world, and our workplaces, would look very different if we prioritized understanding intention over reacting to ex*****on.
Most of the time, people aren't trying to be difficult. They are moving fast, stressed, or simply viewing a problem through a different lens. When we react only to the action, we build walls. When we ask about the intention, we build bridges.
๐๐ก๐จ๐จ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ข๐จ๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ญ:
๐ฐ๐๐๐๐๐๐
๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐
๐๐
: Ask, "Can you help me understand the 'why' behind that decision?"
๐ฐ๐๐๐๐๐๐
๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐: Assume positive intent and say, "I might have misread the tone here - what was your goal with that feedback?"
๐ฐ๐๐๐๐๐๐
๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐: Remember that clear communication is a skill we are all constantly practicing.
Whether you are leading a team, scaling a business, or navigating a major life transition, your ability to seek the "why" before reacting to the "what" is a superpower. It preserves relationships, saves time, and creates a culture of psychological safety.
Let's challenge ourselves this week to be a little less "offended" and a lot more curious.
Strategy gets you noticed, but your grace under pressure makes you a leader people want to follow.
Is this something you've mastered, or is it something you still struggle with at times? If you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them!
