Communicating with grace

While I’m far from being physically graceful, I’ve been thinking a lot about the idea of grace, lately, and how it shows up in relation to power and likeability at work.

I’ve come to realize grace is absolutely foundational to communicating and connecting with those around you.

It’s one of the biggest sources of strength and I believe, one of the most underutilized modes of power there is.

Here’s how it works.

Giving grace to ourselves:

The practice of giving yourself grace is not one that comes easily to many of us.

But letting go of some of the self-flagellation we impose and instead just moving forward can be the best thing we do for our own mental health as well as our communication.

Own your mistakes honestly and without drama. In this way, grace lets us be flexible: “You’re right, my bad, let me fix that.”

Grace to yourself in leadership terms could also look like preparing a little less, or being easier on yourself in the moment.

There’s no such thing as an operator doing big things who makes no mistakes, so know you’re not alone on this one.

Being and feeling gracious in the way you show up – being kind, considerate, thoughtful not only builds trust and creates warm environments around you, and it is also fosters effective communication.

Giving grace to others

Assume good intent from those around you (unless you hear otherwise) if you’re in a psychologically safe environment.

Grace lets you fall over and get back up again.

Grace is one of the ways out of worrying about your likeability; combining it with authority is one of the many ways I talk about showing up as powerfully likeable.

Grace unlocks doors, opens conversations, deepens relationships and helps you sleep better at night.

Grace tells us which fights to fight and which ones we should let go.

Grace is extraordinary. It exists in a world which often tells us it has no value, and yet it survives. Let’s make it thrive.

Invitation:

Are you showing up with grace? What could you do to show more grace to yourself and others at work?