“The big secret in life is that there is no big secret. Whatever your goal, you can get there if you're willing to work.” - Oprah Winfrey

So what's it like to work with us?

We believe that anyone motivated can learn to be a good communicator - and we know it doesn't happen overnight. Based on what we've seen so far, you can expect the following results:

The quality of conversation improves, almost immediately. There's something valuable in simply being aware of communication. Together, we shine a light on what's happening in your workplace - conversation patterns, habits, content, context, timing and styles - and people often notice a sudden improvement. Of course, a lasting improvement only comes when you actually work at changing conversation habits over time.

People will talk about important things. Once you create a culture where it's OK not to have all the answers, the content of the conversation moves to what's important to your business and your success. Debates on whether the office blinds should be open or closed fade into memory as people learn ways to share their honest questions and opinions without fear. People discuss ways to get the job done - and then they do it.

Agreement means more than bobbing heads. As you practise setting realistic expectations and accepting reasonable commitments, agreement starts to mean something. You can rely on people making reliable promises and keeping them. If we work with you, alone, you become the role model for conscious commitments. When we work with your team, results come faster.

Your meetings matter. When conversation is well directed, the time you spend in meetings is an investment that pays off. Real issues surface, discussion is productive, decisions are made and plans established. People know where they're going. And so do you.

You feel relief. When you can talk about the issues, identify the needs, and establish clear priorities, balancing the competing needs of bosses, employees, colleagues, clients and others gets a whole lot easier.

You press the "Shift" key. Change happens. You feel a sense that things are under control - without feeling you have to control them.

You know everyone's doing their job. People are "all on the same page." Or they can get there. You see proof that you're a good manager on a good team and you all can succeed. You are understood.

Here's our philosophy (in case you missed our mission page)...

The It's Understood Minifesto

Nobody sets out to communicate badly. Still, it happens. And the world cannot afford it.

Underlying almost every troubled situation involving more than one human is a gap between what is intended and what is understood and acted on.

It's Understood Communication is dedicated to closing that gap - one situation, one person, one communication at a time.

We believe that real communication involves:

• clarity,
• context,
• connection,
• collaboration, and
• courage.

To truly communicate with others, we must first understand:

• who we are,
• who they are, and
• what both need - from each other and from the world

We must be brave enough to be ourselves - authentic and perfectly imperfect - and to show ourselves to the world.

Authentic communication is an act of faith. It sparks the spirit that enables humans together to be profoundly more effective than humans alone.

Principles

• Real conversation is the most powerful business tool anyone will ever use.
• Communication is a learned and learnable skill.
• To be truly understood is the goal - and the gift - of human communication.
• Most communication occurs without careful, conscious thought. To really communicate, we must be conscious of what we are doing.
• We don't know what we've really said until we see what the audience does in response.
• The words we say and write are the words we hear and see - and those stimuli shape our experience of the world.
• These words also shape others' experience. Our words create our world.
• The first and most important conversation is the one we have with ourselves, for it's the source of all others.

What next?

Learn more about our services or contact us to discuss your organizational needs.