Every adversity… carries with it the seed on an equal or greater benefit. —Napoleon Hill

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After running a masterclass at Salesforce last week, I held revolving door 1:1 office hours.

Each person had a 15 minute time slot for laser coaching.

It was an opportunity focus on a specific challenge they have & develop an action plan.

Think of it like having a new suit tailored to fit you perfectly.

It looks great off the shelf, but the details matter.

That’s what we did in the 1:1 laser coaching sessions.

We focused on the details of each person’s specific situation, so they could easily apply what they learned.

Across these discussions with the team, a common theme arose.

How to navigate difficult situations. For example:

- Two executives who disagree on next steps

- A cross-functional partner who is rigid and inflexible

- A condescending coworker

While your response in these situations is individual, based on your values and style, a tool that resonated with many is narration.

What is narration?

Narration is to say out loud what you are observing and thinking.

For the executives who disagree, you might say:

“You seem to have different perspectives on next steps. If we want to stick to our original timeline, we have to find a path forward we can all support.”

Or, if they’re off topic, you might say:

“This seems like an important conversation, and I’m concerned we won’t conclude this and have time left for our original objective today.”

Why does narration work?

Narration works because you are bringing an existing dynamic out into the open.

If you’re thinking it, but not saying anything, you are alone in looking for a solution.

When you name the dynamic, you invite others to participate in finding a path forward.

It also tends to put everyone on the same side, focusing on the problem instead of trying to be right.

What to watch out for?

Narration brings a small degree of vulnerability, because you are calling out a challenge or a problem.

Others may not agree, or they may expect you to have a solution.

In most situations, it’s not a high risk behavior.

But if you are uncertain of the intent of the others in the room, you may want to be careful.

However, even that uncertainty can be narrated.

You might say something like this:

“I trust everyone here has the best intent, with a shared objective of finding the best path forward for the company. Yet it seems like we’re stuck, digging into positions instead of finding solutions that work for everyone.”

Put it to work

Next time you are in a difficult situation, try narration.

Start with the reason you’re making the observation (we all share a common goal), then make the observation (we’re stuck).

Let me know how it goes.

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To the benefits of difficult situations,

P.S. Many of my clients have used this technique successfully. If you want help applying it, reply “Narrator” and we’ll connect.

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