Delving Into DEI

Good afternoon or good morning, depending on where you are. Doctor e here. Hope you are doing well. Hope your week is going well. I apologize for missing you folks yesterday. With my live presenting at a conference and with the time zone difference and all of those other kinds of things, my lines got crossed. And so I apologize. But I wanted to catch up with you today and I wanted to talk about why I think communication is so important and from, from a leadership standpoint, what could purposefully drive effective communication.

Now, communication is so important because I believe understanding over and above agreement should be the priority. Why do I think understanding? Well, if there's understanding, I don't think there necessarily has to be agreement. But the lack of agreement because there is understanding doesn't prevent or preclude collaboration, doesn't prevent or preclude sharing dissenting opinions. But more importantly, it provides space for those dissenting views and opinions and perspectives to be shared and allows for those individuals to begin to shape, begin to cultivate, begin to connect, where and how other folks might be coming from, where and what might be informing and influencing their perspectives, and more importantly, or most importantly, the experiences that begin to help others connect and begin some shared level of communication and connection.

And so that's why I think communication is so important, because it can place a premise of understanding, but not necessarily understanding over and above what agreement actually can be. But understanding is super important because I don't have to agree with you to understand where you're coming from. But again, that's just my personal opinion. Some folks might say there is anyone or there are tons of people who might say that agreement is a priority and important. I'm just not one of them. Now, if you are communicating, and when you are communicating, I want to stress, and I want to really give you the encouragement to make connections with your communication.

What do I mean by make connections? I mean in some way, shape or form, have some level of synergy that you are linking to, tying to, and allowing yourself to bridge with another person. So communication is great. Making connections is even greater. So if you're able to make connections through your communication, if you're able to model making connections with and through your communication, I think that's effective leadership. Whether it's written, whether it's verbal, whether it's during times of conflict, whether it's during times of agreement, if you're able to make connections, if you're able to firmly put on the table how important people are to you, how important.

Understanding perspectives and experiences and sharing those things is important, you are able to make connections, I think in a very authentic, genuine way that really conveys how important culture is, really conveys how important people's perspectives and experiences are, and how willing you are as a leader to share that space in terms of understanding and in terms of putting ideas out there, even when they are dissenting. So leave you with those few encouraging words. Make connections when you are communicating, because connections should be the priority.

As you communicate understanding, prioritize over agreement, and as you move forward with and in both, make sure that you are able to model where, how, when, and what's important as you're communicating and through making connections. Doctor E. I will see you soon. Have a great rest of your week.