“People can only hear you when they are moving toward you, and they are not likely to when your words are pursuing them.” (Edwin Friedman)

Leaders often fall into the trap of believing that if people knew better they would do better. So, we chase after folks as they run from our well-formulated lectures.

Perhaps we should spend more time cultivating the types of relationships wherein people want to follow us, seek out our wisdom, and turn to us for guidance. Of course, that’s no easy task. It will require us to sit with others as they make mistakes. It will require us to calm our own anxiety and love people precisely when they aren’t very lovable.

If we can do those things and hold our words until the moment is right, we might be surprised at how well people can actually hear us.