The Strength of Silence
Learn to embrace silence when asking questions. Avoid rushing to rescue others, especially in coaching. Waiting allows them to find their own solutions, leading to surprising outcomes. Patience and silence are powerful tools in communication.
Imagine you ask someone a good question, and then…
Complete SILENCE.
The person tries to find an answer. Do you want to jump in and ‘save’ them? Do you feel the need to explain or ask differently?
Many people do. We usually jump in for three reasons:
❶ We truly want to help.
❷ We think our question caused the silence.
❸ We notice the silence more than the other, thinking person.
I’m here to say: let’s learn to wait in silence, even for just a few seconds.
Take a moment and count to 10 in your head before trying to ‘rescue’ someone.
In professional coaching, being comfortable with silence is an important skill. It’s hard not to jump in and ‘save’ someone who might not need help. But, it can quickly become a useful tool.
Next time you feel the urge to jump in, wait a bit longer. The other person might surprise you!
Have a great week ahead!