What is a Thought Partner?
The first line of my compass statement…
to be a thought partner with all those on my path
Being a thought partner is this fabulous space where creativity and order, agreement and disagreement, clarity and confusion can thrive. We certainly do plenty of thinking in our heads, a one-sided conversation. It is in partnership with others that we can enjoy a dance party of thoughts.
My career has revolved around communication roles. In this role, we don’t often have large teams, if any team at all. I’m rarely “the boss” or the final, one-and-only decision-maker. Instead, I am a thought partner with many people making important decisions. In addition to work – friendships, marriage, parenting and volunteer service all provide ballrooms full of thought partners.
Thought partners listen and clearly understand the needs, opinions and concerns of others. It is equally important to artfully ask questions. Why artfully? The goal is to create synergy rather than defensiveness. A poorly executed question can be just as harmful as a pointed statement. As a thought partner, it is about engaging in the journey to find words and formulate meaning around the topic or decision at hand.
“If you hit a wall, climb over it, crawl under it, or dance on top of it.”
Like learning to dance, we all need thought partners that don’t judge our missteps on the dance floor. These partners join us in the choreography process. They provide inspiration, help us choose our steps and they stumble and practice with us. Our lives take us down many paths – opportunities to meet and interact with amazing people with amazing stories that contribute to a broader range of moves on our dance floors.
We need them. They need us. Together we are better. And, sometimes you will find thought partners in the most unexpected places. Keep an open mind to where that next thought partner will cross your path. Look up, reach out and connect because they just might be what your dance party needs.
Let’s go dancing.