I’ve noticed the word keeps popping into my head more and more. Frequently, my job is to fix stuff. I walk into a lot of situations where people aren’t on the same page or worse. I try to dissect all the factors, and it seems more often than not, lack of context is at the root of the problem in one way or another. As soon as I have all the pieces and can see how they fit together, the rest is easy. Context issues can rear their ugly heads in all kinds of scenarios.

GROUP DYNAMICS

Ever been in Board meetings where certain agenda items go on forever? I remember one client who debated the merits of adding a walkway to a portion of their community for months. It wasn’t budgeted, but it could have improved safety. It could have benefitted many residents, but in theory it might have created a nuisance for those who lived close to the proposed walkway. Discussion and debate started in the weeds and got deeper as time went on. Emotions ran high. In the end, the idea was squashed and the process left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth. The Board is hoping nobody brings it up again. Lack of context ran amok.

If your group is considering a new idea, or a recurring one that never seems to get settled, listen very closely. You may well find that there is a bi-level dialogue going on. The overt conversation is on the merits of the idea in play. But sometimes the reason the subject takes forever to flesh out is because people are struggling to figure out if the thing is really important, timely, or how it fits in to a bigger picture. That subtext can be a sign the group lacks clarity on shared values and vision. If that’s the case, context can be gained by taking the time to achieve consensus on those deeper points. (No, not at a Board meeting – it’s a separate exercise .) With the underpinnings of values and vision in place, things go a lot smoother and quicker.

CHANGING THE MESSAGE

Context also comes up in day to day conflicts. Association members may chafe in matters of covenants enforcement. It’s understandable. After all, who likes to be told they are in the wrong, or feel controlled? All too often, when the nastygram from Big Brother arrives in the mailbox, the missing link is context. Unless the reason for a community standard is understood, that standard, whether enumerated in CC&Rs, rules, policies or procedures, feels irrelevant and maybe even arbitrary. Context can sometimes be achieved by taking the time to explain the reason for the standard, and why those standards benefit everyone in the long run, ESPECIALLY the individual. I’ll never forget my boss telling me that an owner from a former client had called him to complain about a manager who had followed me at my last on-site management job. When he mentioned her name, I had an immediate emotional and physical reaction – I thought she hated my guts. But her comment provided a golden lesson: “I didn’t always agree with Tom, but he always told us what he was going to do in advance, and we always knew why he was doing what he was doing.” Changing the message can help to establish the context.

ASSUME NOTHING

Sometimes confusion and conflict are the result of missing data. It’s really easy to jump to conclusions and muck up the works. I get reminded of that when I get a call or text from one of my favorite managers, who reaches out for assistance on thorny issues from time to time. I listen to a scenario, offer some potential solutions only to hear ,“I don’t think that will work, because (followed by a new factor not previously revealed).” Note to self…slow down, gather all facts, get full context. I think part of the challenge may be that we are encouraged to think quickly and get to the bottom line as fast as possible. But we aren’t necessarily thinking deeply. In the end, conflicts and confusion can get worse, not better, and we accidentally (and ironically) take more time to resolve matters by tying to save time by being fast. One strategy to get full context is to assume nothing and keep asking questions until the root of a matter is clear. Once the context is understood, then move toward potential solutions.

So, the next time you find yourself feeling conflicted and confused, make sure you see the full context of whatever you are dealing with. In the end, it will save you and the people around you time and heartburn. And you might just get something done!