It’s getting harder to drown out the noise.
LinkedIn has become a battlefield in the struggle between sharing and OVERsharing… cool and TRYING to look cool… thought leadership and unnecessary advice.
Most of us have an inner voice that wants to tell other people what to do. But offering solutions all the time can be counterproductive. When sharing expertise, there are different personalities. Those who:
— 💬 Say It. These are leaders who convince you that the only way to add value to a situation is by being the leading authority, and always having the right answers. They love the spotlight.
— 🧠 Believe It. They’re more subdued, and won’t jump on a soapbox to shout about their ideas, but they’re equally convinced that they hold all the solutions. They believe that they — and only they — can save the situation.
— 🕹️ Control It. They want to keep a tight grip on all things at all times or risk plunging your world into chaos. Others cannot be trusted!
All three exist within all of us.
Real leaders balance offering advice, guidance, and problem-solving with a broader perspective.
Transformative communication requires creating a safe environment, asking better questions, and making others feel safe: empathy, mirroring, showing respect, offering autonomy, and managing expectations.
Identifying the personality triggers, taming advice-giving and knowledge-sharing reflexes, and adapting accordingly will limit the number of people who want to drown out YOUR noise. (And mine.)
So… how am I doing?