I was speaking with a friend who had recently received feedback that they didn't always leave room for pushback. They'd taken it as a compliment. That's just how I communicate, they said. I'm direct. I don't waste people's time.
It took them a while to hear what was actually being said.
I wrote about the invisible gun a while back: the weight your words carry when you're senior. Your curiosity sounds like a command. The fix is awareness. Label your intent. Ask before you suggest. Create space for pushback.
But there's a trap. What happens when you know about the gun and decide not to holster it because "that's just who you are"?
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