Recently, I was asked to facilitate a hard conversation between teams in an organization.
One team came in ready to listen, understand what had happened, and figure out how they could move forward.
The other came in prepared to defend its position and share a list of non-negotiables.
Yet, within the first few minutes, something began to shift. The first team truly listened, asked open-ended questions, and reflected what they heard. The second team, which initially seemed to expect pushback, was instead met with understanding and concern. As they realized that they were being heard, both about what had happened and its impact, the tone of the conversation began to change. They recognized that they were on the same larger team and wanted the same thing: a way forward that worked for every team member.
We committed to staying at the table, remaining genuinely curious, and listening to understand throughout the conversation. And ultimately, we were able to work through the conflict and map out a clear path forward.
And it all started with something simple yet foundational: helping people feel truly heard.