There is a quote that says, “The greatest gift is the here and now and that is why it is called the Present.”
Well, I would like to take this quote one step further. The greatest gift that you can give to others is Yourself, your full attention. That is why it is called your Presence.
With the advances in technology and the rapid changes of our world, we are now in the knowledge era. New ideas are the most important asset. And where do ideas come from – people. People instead of products are the new capital. In order to stay cutting edge, it takes the collaborative brain power of many. The input and empowerment of your team is highly valuable.
So, are you using this brain power to its highest potential? The ideas and power are out there. The potential does exist. So, how do we tap into it?
Eliciting the ideas from others come from building a culture of trust and empowerment. When we hear instructions to build a culture, we can become overwhelmed by the big picture and even wonder where to start. Building a culture starts with our daily interactions with others. So, there is a simple acronym that I like to share with people that they can keep in the back of their mind as they interact with others.
The acronym is: AWE
ASK
Take time daily to ask people questions, and not just questions about current work projects or an upcoming deadline. Take time to ask how they are doing personally. What is going on with their family or a favorite hobby?
Next, informally ask for their input or perspective on a future project or idea you are contemplating. (Ask without having an agenda on your mind already for that idea. Ask with an open mind to take in what ever they give you.) Asking people for their opinion allows others to give you a gift, which in return shows them their value.
W.A.I.T.
Listen for their response. Great culture builders of empowerment know how to wait for a response. W.A.I.T is actually another reminder acronym for: “Why Am I Talking?”. If someone gives you their idea or opinion and you immediately start talking, it diminishes the value of the gift they just gave you. It is similar to “looking at a gift horse in the mouth.” Often when we start talking, we move to our agenda and ideas, which shuts down others from sharing their ideas. They also may feel their ideas are devalued, and therefore they are devalued. They will not want to risk sharing again.
Express
Summarize back their words and thought they shared with you. There are 2 reasons behind this strategy. First, to summarize back to someone what they said, you have to be really listening. It is a form of accountability for the listener. Also, by summarizing you create a mental note in your brain that will allow you to recall that idea when needed in the future. Second, it shows the listener that you truly understand them. This verifies to them that you have received the gift they gave to you.
Communication is not about the spoken word. It is about mutual understanding. When you summarize, it verifies mutual understanding. As a side note, don’t fear if your summary is wrong or off. This allows the other person to further clarify their idea as you ASK them to explain further.
I love that this acronym spells AWE, because in the end awe is the gift you are giving back to person in return. When we interact with others in AWE of each other, we create the culture of trust and empowerment. We provide a building block to a culture of greatness.