What does it actually take to see trouble coming before it derails your conversations?
In this solo episode, Michael Reddington breaks down one of the foundational pillars of the Disciplined Listening Method: situational awareness. Drawing on research from Air Force scientist Mica Endsley and John Boyd's OODA loop, Michael explains how the same awareness framework used to keep pilots and soldiers safe can transform the way professionals navigate high-stakes conversations.
This episode gives you a practical framework for understanding all the variables at play before, during, and after any consequential conversation. If you've ever walked away from a difficult exchange wishing you had seen it coming, this one is for you.
Michael walks through the three phases of situational awareness (perception, comprehension, and projection) and maps them directly to communication strategy. He then introduces six specific factors that shape every conversation, from the assumptions we bring to the environment we choose, and explains why failing to account for any one of them is often what creates the resistance, the missed signals, and the unexpected outcomes we'd rather avoid.
What You'll Learn in This Episode
Why the most common situational awareness failure is not missing information, but failing to look at the right information at the right time
The three phases of situational awareness and how to apply each one before a high-stakes conversation
Six factors that shape how every conversation unfolds and why most people only consider one or two of them
How expectations and preconceived notions quietly limit your ability to observe accurately
Why the most consequential conversations are often the ones with the softest perceived consequences
How goal clarity before a conversation directly determines the quality of your decisions during it
Chapters
(00:00) Introduction: Situational Awareness as a Communication Tool
(00:54) From Physical Safety to Strategic Communication
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