STEP OUT. MAKE IT SAFE. THEN STEP BACK IN
Okay, let’s look at Yvonne. She tried to tackle a tough topic. Good for her. She was already uncomfortable and her partner took a cheap shot at her. Some help he was. Now what should she do? How can she get back to honest and healthy dialogue? What do you do when you don’t feel like it’s safe to share what’s on your mind?
The key is to step out of the content of the conversation. Don’t stay stuck in what’s being said. Yvonne exited because she was focused on what Jotham was saying. If she had been looking at Jotham’s conditions of dialogue, she would have spotted his use of sarcasm—a form of silence. Rather than talking openly about his concern and adding to the Pool of Shared Meaning, he’s taking a potshot. ...
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