I Hear You

CHAPTER 4

Tell Their Story

LOOKING THROUGH THEIR EYES

I Once managed a talented employee named Evan. Evan was good at his job, and in general, I enjoyed working with him. But whenever a problem or difficult topic would come up between us, Evan simply shut down. I would share my thoughts, and he would listen politely. When I asked for his input, he responded with bland answers such as, “I think you made good points,” or “That makes sense,” or “I'll think about what you said.” The more I tried to talk to him, the more Evan retreated and avoided me.

In my mind, Evan was the problem. After all, I consistently tried to engage him, as any responsible colleague would; he was the one preventing us from talking. Although thinking this way did not help ...