This is a story in which somebody made a joke after something I said in a meeting.
My intention had been to serve the group’s process, but instead, half of the room erupted in laughter! And the point that was important to me had been misunderstood or ignored…
You might want to pause the video to give it time to load.
When this happens in meetings, I see one of two types of reactions from the person who is either ridiculed or ignored while trying to share something that is important to them:
(1) the person puts their tail between their legs and almost apologetically says something to the effect of, “um, never mind…” —
OR
(2) they become upset and either keep it to themselves but secretly resent the person who made the joke and disconnect from them, or they make their upset known loudly, raising their voice while blaming others for being rude or inappropriate (or worse).
I did neither of these.
And how I responded really stunned people, getting their attention AND it got my point heard for what was important to me in that situation.
This is a great tip that you can use in one-on-one conversations as well, and it really helps to get the conversation back on track. Most people would never think of saying this, and it’s incredibly simple…
BONUS:
I’m producing a 4-day NVC and Social Change live, in-person intensive with me and 3 other trainers at a beautiful retreat center in Washington State, October 23-27.
Because I want you there, I’m adding a bonus if you register before October 1: a free copy of the downloadable Home Study Course: Blackbelt Communication Skills, Deep Basics.
This bonus course includes a step-by-step guide which is a 99-page PDF that walks you through the NVC curriculum, with clear explanations plus tips and worksheets. It also includes audio recorded during four live teleseminars (about 5 CDs’-worth), so that you get to hear live role-plays as well as the Q&A with participants. This course retails for $147 and I’ll give it to you for free, simply as a thank you for joining our retreat before October 1.