A 1-minute read that could transform your next conversation.

Hi,

Thanks for joining me this week,

As a reminder:

Every week I’ll send you an actionable negotiation tip and exercise to help you get better.

_{Negotiation Tip of The Week}

[Avoid these 3 barriers to great communication]

_{1. Identifying/bragging}

You refer everything the other person says to your own experience. ‘I did that, but mine was much worse.’

Solution: Ask follow-up questions to show genuine interest in their story.

_{2. Advising}

You are a great problem-solver, ready with help and suggestions. ‘What you need to do is this and then that.’

Solution: Ask if the person wants suggestions or is just looking to be heard.

_{3. Quality of information}

This entails going into a conversation with assumptions and opinions, but few facts, which can lead to misunderstandings, usually because of a lack of empathy or desire to discover the other person’s ‘model of the world’ as they see it.

Solution: Bring more curiosity than assumption to the conversation. This invites the other person to explain their perspective without feeling defensive.

These three barriers aren’t necessarily deliberate attempts to undermine what someone is saying; they are fired off subconsciously.

But, this doesn’t give you free rein to avoid responsibility, because you’re now aware of them and you can hopefully be more conscious of avoiding these stumbling blocks in future.

_{Give This a Go}

Catch yourself next time you’re tempted to jump in with your own story, advice, or assumptions during a conversation. Instead, ask a follow-up question or simply listen.

Then, tell me how it went. I want to hear about your experience.

Simply reply to this email with your story—whether it was a win, a challenge, or a learning moment. I’ll feature the best responses (anonymously, if you prefer) in next week’s newsletter so that we can all learn together.

Until next week,

Scott

Sunday Times bestselling author of ‘Order Out of Chaos’