Before you defend yourself - or agree to a solution - ask whether the problem has been correctly identified.

Two missed deadlines become “a lack of commitment.” Falling sales become “our prices are too high.” Once an explanation is accepted, it can steer every decision that follows - even when nobody has checked it.

In this episode of Speaking With Intent, Paul Adams explores how the way we define a problem shapes conversations about responsibility, performance, and trust. Learn how to separate what happened from what someone assumes it means, question an explanation without sounding defensive, and recognize when your own labels deserve closer scrutiny.

Take one practical question into your next difficult conversation: “What tells us that’s the cause?”

Before you get better at defending your answer, check who wrote the question.

#SpeakingWithIntent #CommunicationSkills #CriticalThinking #Leadership

Someone can tell you the truth and still leave you believing something false.

You ask about a deadline and hear about past success. You ask about authority and hear about “ownership.” The answer sounds reassuring - but does it establish what you need to know?

In this episode of Speaking With Intent, Paul Adams explores paltering: deliberately using truthful statements to create a misleading impression. He also explains why an indirect answer doesn’t automatically mean deception - and how to get clarity without accusing someone of dishonesty.

Through familiar workplace, hiring, and client conversations, you’ll learn how to:

• Recognize when reassurance leaves your question unanswered.

• Separate what someone actually said from what you assumed.

• Ask specific follow-up questions before making a commitment.

• Notice when your own technically accurate answers could mislead someone.

Try this in your next important conversation: “I took that to mean ____. Is that what you’re saying?”

That brief check gives the other person a chance to clarify - and gives you a better basis for your decision.

Follow Speaking With Intent for practical conversations about communication, credibility, negotiation, and judgment under pressure.

#SpeakingWithIntent #CommunicationSkills #CriticalThinking #Negotiation #Trust

A meeting ends with everyone apparently in agreement. Two weeks later, the problem someone saw coming becomes everyone’s problem. Why didn’t they speak up?

Silence can be wise. But when people are making a decision, they may reasonably take your silence as agreement. The same thing happens when “It’s fine” lets someone close to you believe you’ve made a choice together.

In this episode of Speaking With Intent, I examine what it means to raise a concern while it can still help. I also look at the leader’s responsibility: asking for objections means little if speaking honestly comes at a cost.

You’ll hear practical ways to name a risk without turning it into an accusation - and a simple test for deciding when a concern needs to be said aloud.

Sometimes a brief, uncomfortable conversation is what gives an agreement its value.

#SpeakingWithIntent #DifficultConversations #LeadershipCommunication #DecisionMaking #CommunicationSkills