Offer Respect And Hospitality
First, leaders need to offer respect and hospitality to all they meet. In our fragmented society, bombarded by unrealistic expectations about work and life, many people find they are locked in a conflict between their inner beliefs and their outward lives. The result is a complete loss of empathy and compassion.
When we are caught in a pattern of fracture and disconnect, we rarely turn to respect and hospitality as a solution. We don’t think it is a good choice. And yet, I believe we need to rethink this decision, and focus on this course of action.
Years ago, I remember meeting with a CEO who was going to fire someone on his team. As our meeting ended, and the head of HR came into the room, the CEO said to the head of HR, “Whatever happens in the next meeting, let’s be respectful of their service to the company, and maintain their dignity throughout the entire process.” I just smiled as I headed out the door, because this was an impressive moment of clarity.
Furthermore, having traveled for 35+ years, I have witnessed my fair share of hospitality. Some locations were friendly, and others were generous and treated me like a guest. But the best hotels, and the best companies went one step further. They made me feel comfortable and valued, safe and welcomed. For at it’s core, hospitality happens when we make connections based on respect, kindness, and care. When this happens consistently over time, good will is generated, and this makes a profound difference during times of constant change.
Understand The Difference Between Narrative And Interpretation
Second, leaders need to understand the difference between narrative and interpretation. Narrative is a structured accounting of events before one can make sense of one’s experiences. On the other hand, interpretation is the action of explaining the meaning of something like a series of connected events. It also is the act of explaining, reframing, or otherwise showing your understanding of something.
One element of this understanding involves discerning the difference between knowledge and opinion about the events that took place, or are taking place. Many times, senior leaders get second hand, or even third hand information or reports of actual events. At this point, it is hard, at times, to tell the difference between the narrative and the interpretation, because the person reporting may or may not have the full knowledge of what happened, or the technical expertise to explain what happened. Therefore, they may report their opinion or interpretation, and consider it a factual narrative or explanation.
I have encountered this many times. For example, having worked with banks and bankers for 30+ years, and facilitated many meetings and strategic planning sessions with them, I would routinely get asked for an analysis of certain key data. At this point, I had to remind all involved that I am not a banker, and I have not gone to banking school. I can give my perspective, i.e. interpretation or opinion based on my understanding and experience, but I can not provide an analysis of critical information about the data or the actual events that generated the data.
When I pointed this out, many senior banking executives thanked me publicly and privately for understanding the difference between being a banker and working with bankers. For me, it all comes down to knowing the difference between knowledge, narrative, interpretation, and opinion.
To be continued on Wednesday.
© Geery Howe 2026
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