Guardian
I need you to respect my professionalism, competence and desire to bring order, systems and processes to life. Let me ask my questions and do my due diligence. Value the real me that lies behind my logical, rational questions and critique.
What We See…
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Viewed as “wet blanket” on new ideas
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Appear negative
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Can make great ideas happen
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Secure, sensible, consistent
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Not afraid to ask questions
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Laser-focused on being precise
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Not quitters
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Deliver on time and on budget
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Immature = overly critical
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Master of processes
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Asks good questions
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Custodians of truth ("show me the data”)
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Competency is a big driver
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Immature Guardians
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Don’t always have best tone or tact
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Drive for truth causes them to neglect the person behind the truth
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Can lose influence due to frustration with people
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People can begin avoiding them or discrediting them
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Hard for them to know what it's like on the other side of them
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Strategies
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Need to know destination and steps before moving
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“I’m not here to make life miserable...just trying to help.
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Always asking
”Is this worth the risk?”
"What the worst-case scenario?
"Have we done our due diligence?
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Will shut down if there is unnecessary, incompetent behaviors
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Need to respect their competence and desire for order/systems
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Let them ask questions and embrace the motive behind them
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Champion what they value / Value who they are, what they do
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When talking to them, get to the point
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Once they know details and embrace vision, get out of their way
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Go out of your way to make sure they know you truly value them
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Help them see what it's like to be on the other side of them
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Coach them through better responses
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Need to feel heard and valued through frequent affirmation
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Give them space to be them at their best
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"What are your top ( ) questions?”
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Help them "shift gears" for personal time (tend to be heavy 4th and 5th gear)
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Conservative Leaders and wired to question change
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Love discipline, systems, and infrastructure
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Live by logic and facts
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Needs proof before moving forward
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If it isn’t broke, why fix it? / Protectors of what is working
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Tend to be skeptical
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“People would be astonished if they knew how smart I truly am.
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Gets frustrated listening to lengthy proposals or stories
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Can detach personal sentiment and made tough decisions
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Appreciate the early work you put into clarifying expectations and success
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What They Need to Hear From Us:
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“We need your questions...they make us better!”
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“Keep asking different questions.”
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“We promise to stay engaged with your questions…”
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“Thank you!”
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Rules of Engagement…3rd
Weapon…Interrogation
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Launching into multiple, rapid-fire questions. Some questions will seem negative and only for slowing down progress.