Why People Misread You

You know why you mean. Nobody else does. They only hear what you say. This prompt finds where you're misread, and the thing you're doing that creates it.

I spent most of my career thinking I was being clear with others.

I prided myself on being direct and efficient.
I’d give feedback in a few words and move on, proud of not wasting anyone’s time.

In my head, I was respecting people enough to skip the fluff.

Eventually somebody on my team told me that people found me “hard to read, and a little scary.”

Scary?!
Me?!?!
WTactualF?!
I’m the guy who is always being helpful. How could I be scary?!

Here’s what eventually messed me up about it: I wasn’t wrong about my intentions. I really was trying to be respectful.

But my intention lived in my head, and everyone else only ever experienced my behavior. It turns out they couldn’t read my mind - and I didn’t realize they needed to.

The brief, efficient feedback that I felt was helpful, felt to them like I just slammed a door in their schnoz.

I’m not the only one who has this gap - the one between what you think you’re communicating and what other people hear.

The frustrating part is that most people blame others for not understanding what was communicated.

“They’re too sensitive.”
“They took it wrong.”
”They’re not paying attention.”

This prompt finds where you’re most misunderstood - and the thing you’re doing that causes it.

Turns out it’s usually not them.
Run the prompt now.

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