When I see children learn, it always reminds me of the importance of trust and the willingness to give things a go.

Lets talk about an issue that I see with all the teams I work with and how to take steps to minimise it.

It's a formula for nailing team communication.

It comes down to the difference between INTENT vs IMPACT.

Key Differences: Intent vs Impact

There’s an old proverb that states, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions,” meaning that while intentions might be good, without proper follow-through, the impact can still be bad.

Intent is what you wanted to do. Impact is the reality of your actions.

Intent is how you think or feel about your actions. Impact is how your action makes the other person feel.

Here are a few examples you may have experienced;

• You spill hot coffee on a someone while refilling their cup. Your intention was to be helpful not to create a mess or injury.
• You offer advice, intending to be supportive but your action may be perceived as judgmental or controlling.
• You take an unconventional approach to troubleshooting a technical issue. You intend to be innovative but your employer sees it as disruptive.

We've all been there..."But I didn't mean it like that" we might say!

This gap between intent and impact represents a communication breakdown which can be extremely damaging to team dynamics and productivity.

So what can we do about it?

Navigating Intent & Impact in the Workplace

Impact in the workplace matters because it determines the reality of everyone who works there.

When team members take responsibility and intent and impact are both made clear, all cards are on the table.

You can then collaborate to find amicable solutions. Here's what I recommend and how I coach the teams I work with to improve their communication;

1. If you're on the receiving end you can seek to understand if the other person had good intentions or not.
   • This doesn’t erase their impact but you can explain how their actions made you feel without pointing fingers.
   • E.g. “I know you intended to make this project better, but I feel stressed out by what happened.”
2. Conversely it’s important to take responsibility for the result of our actions — even if you didn’t intend for them to happen the way they did.
   • Keep in mind that communicating clearly doesn’t mean blaming others for misunderstanding intent.
3. Even when you have good intentions, it’s important to understand what it feels like to be negatively impacted by your actions.
   • Don’t ignore the other person's feelings.
   • Apologise with no "ifs" or "buts"! E.g. “I’m sorry that my actions caused you stress.” This statement clearly takes accountability for the impact.

Sketch🖼️

This week I sketched a little bee being helped to fly but some colourful balloons, symbolising how we can all rise higher with a little support.

Let me know what you think by replying to this email. I'd love to hear from you!

As always, stay curious!

Best wishes,

Louise