Learn2 Leadership Tool
Reframing Techniques for Leaders: Acknowledge a Concern, Then Move Forward
WYSIITMB: "What you said is important to me because..." One line that turns a concern toward the result.
When someone raises a concern, most leaders defend or explain. The other person feels unheard and repeats the concern louder. Reframing hears the concern first, then turns the talk toward what you both want.
Four steps
- 1
Listen for the gold
Stop preparing to speak. Listen for what they intend and what is important to them.
- 2
Pause
Stop reacting to how they said it. Show them you listened.
- 3
Acknowledge: WYSIITMB
Say "What you said is important to me because..." and finish it honestly. In one line it validates their concern, shows you listened and turns the talk toward what you both want.
- 4
Reframe forward
Ask a What? or How? question aimed at the shared result, instead of digging back into the concern.
Use it on every concern you hear: the past, resources and time.
Try it today
Recall the last concern someone raised with you. Finish this sentence for it: "What you said is important to me because..." Then write the What? or How? question you would ask next.
Questions leaders ask
What is reframing in communication?
Reframing turns a conversation from what went wrong toward what you both want. The concern stays on the table. You change the direction the talk is facing.
What are reframing techniques for leaders?
Listen for what matters to the person, pause, acknowledge it out loud, then ask a What? or How? question aimed at the shared result. The acknowledgement is what makes the question land.
How do you acknowledge someone's concern without agreeing?
Say what is important to you about what they said: "What you said is important to me because..." You honor the concern without signing up to their conclusion.
What does WYSIITMB mean?
What You Said Is Important To Me Because. It is the Power of Acknowledgement phrase from Lead the Endurance.
When should a leader use reframing?
Any time a conversation gets stuck on the past, on missing resources or on not enough time. Those three show up in almost every team.
Build it with your team
Lead the Endurance
Leaders practice reframing on the real baggage their team carries: the past, resources and time.
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See how your team communicates
The same words land four different ways on one team. The free Team Diagnostic gives you a report on how each person prefers to hear a change, a concern or a coaching question. It takes about five minutes.
Start the free Team Diagnostic