Whether we intend to or not we all do this one thing.

We see or hear something and we create a narrative. A story. 
 
Those stories can be: 

A potential client goes dark, they must’ve chosen another solution so we stop following up
A candidate is late to an interview - they’re unreliable
An employee dresses up when they normally are in jeans and a tee, they must be interviewing
An employee pushes back on a decision, they’re combative
An employee is crying after a meeting with their boss - they must have done something wrong

We see or hear something and before you know it, it becomes reality, or a fact.

The fact of the matter is could create the story a gazillion different ways:

A potential client goes dark, they must be meeting with internal stakeholders so it’s taking longer than expected.
A candidate is late to an interview - they were in a car accident
An employee dresses up when they normally are in jeans and a tee, they have a date
An employee pushes back on a decision, they don’t understand the “why’s” and are looking out for the company
An employee is crying after a meeting with their boss - they just learned they got a long overdue promotion

As leaders, it’s our responsibility to look beyond the narrative. 
To learn the facts
To stay open
Remove judgement

And stop the story from continuing. 

It’s also our responsibility to build our muscle in getting curious, we cannot move from a story being fictional to factual without it.

What stories are you creating about your team, clients or business?