Do you hear the noise?

When things are noisy, sometimes all we need is a little clarity to move ahead. A small mental click that changes how we see the situation.

I come across this often with people I work with, whether through coaching, mentoring or advisory. They describe what is happening. There is context, different perspectives, opinions, interpretations, assumptions, possibilities, things that have already happened and things that might happen next. And sometimes the noise is not only in the information. You can almost feel it in the room: nervousness, excitement, anxiety, confusion, frustration.

I love to listen, and then let the conversation sit for a couple of seconds before asking a question. The question itself is usually simple. Easy to understand, although not necessarily easy to answer.

But before I get to that question, there is a very fast thinking process happening in my head. If I had to simplify it:

• Take in and interpret the information, while separating facts from assumptions.

• Understand what the person is actually trying to achieve.

• Step back and see how the different pieces connect.

• Identify what matters and what is simply creating noise.

Then the map becomes clearer to me. There may still be several possible directions, and what comes next is driven less by the noise and more by a few decisions. And that is when the right questions help frame those decisions.

Creating the conditions to find that kind of clarity is one of the things I enjoy most.

The question might be simple, but getting to the right question usually isn't.