Featured in Communication Intelligence: Working Through Misunderstandings
Featured in Communication Intelligence: In this thoughtful piece on navigating communication breakdowns, Sara Lobkovich shares insights rooted in her work with teams and leaders on psychological safety and performance. Her perspective reminds us that misunderstandings are inevitable—but how we respond can either deepen trust or erode it. She offers practical advice for reconnecting when clarity gets lost and assumptions take over.
Misunderstandings are costly within interactions as well as relationships in different contexts, industries, professions and relationships. It’s therefore important to gain better understanding and learn how to skillfully traverse these moments.
When a misunderstanding is evolving or has clearly revealed itself, an intelligent response is called for and helpful.
“The most intelligent first response to a misunderstanding for everyone involved, is curiosity,” says Sara Lobkovich, a strategy executive and career fulfillment coach at Red Currant Collective, where she helps clients tackle transformational change.
“As soon as you detect or suspect a misunderstanding, get curious. Curiosity is a natural antidote to so many things that challenge our relationships.”
It’s a practice, she teaches, that helps a person or group exercise agency within a risky and stressful interaction.
“While you don’t control your conversation partners’ reactions, responding with curiosity provides them a chance to dial down any defensiveness that’s entered the dynamic,” Lobkovich says.
She elaborates how it works in practicality.
“If you can manage to take a deep breath and get curious instead of reacting to the misunderstanding, that invites your conversation partner to do the same,” Lobkovich illuminates.
