Context is the Ultimate Currency

What causes some deals stall even when the logic is sound? What makes some team members resist a plan that is clearly in their best interest?

It’s usually because the leader solved for the problem while ignoring the person.

In high-performance communication, we distinguish between content (your facts, your data, your brilliance) and context (their history, their fears, and their past experiences). If you insert your content before you have earned their context, you aren't leading; you’re just making noise.

The Power of Perceptual Positions

Most people spend their entire lives in "First Position" which is seeing the world through their own shoes, their own goals, and their own quotas.

High-performers have the discipline to move to "Second Position." They intentionally step into the client’s shoes to see the "Map of the Territory" from their perspective. They understand that the "facts" of a deal are rarely the reason a deal closes; it is the perception of those facts that matters.

The Strategy: Building the Bridge

To move someone from their perspective to yours, you must first acknowledge that their perspective exists. You do this by asking about their history before you offer them a future.

In the Exactly What to Say framework, we use a specific question to uncover the "why" behind the "what."

The Magic Words: “What is your experience with…?”

When you ask about experience, you are doing two things:

1. You are gathering the "Map." You learn if they’ve been burned in the past, if they are over-informed, or if they are totally in the dark.

   
   

2. You are creating safety. By asking about their experience, you signal that their opinion is a prerequisite for the solution.

   
   

The Takeaway

Knowledge is common. Context is rare.

The leader who asks about experience owns the room because they are the only ones with the full picture.

This week, before you provide the answer, make sure you’ve asked about the experience. Because of the fact that you understand their past, they will trust you with their future.

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About Kara

Kara Moll empowers busy executives to become confident, effective communicators—unlocking their full potential in both their personal and professional lives. An Executive Coach with Keller Williams MAPS Coaching, Kara is one of Phil M. Jones’ Certified Guides and an Exactly What to Say® Coach. She combines these powerful communication frameworks with expertise in Neuro-Linguistic Programming and Energy Leadership Coaching to help clients achieve transformative results.

With over 20 years of experience in real estate, coaching, and training, she brings a wealth of knowledge and insight to every interaction. To take your communication skills to the next level, inquire about working with Kara here: Contact Kara Moll