It's only a $7 bulb ...

Tick Tick Tick

It's only a $7 bulb, but it's doing its job, protecting life and property as we approach the intersection. We entrust life and limb to the pulse of a small yellow light. 

And signals matter for us as professionals too. We broadcast them daily. Our colleagues, suppliers and clients read those signals and adjust their speed and direction accordingly. 

Or maybe they take evasive action. 

Which is a problem. And one I’ve seen in coaching over the last 12 months. Clients who want trusted relationships, but aren’t broadcasting the right signals. 

This is important because, while trust rests on performance, it relies on perception. What they see matters. 

We get fixated on the job and let our signals slip. We work, and they wonder: Is she working on this? Do they care? Will he get it done? 

Like a $7 bulb, the signals aren’t costly. We just sometimes forget to indicate. 

It matters on the road. It matters in the office. 

What signals are we sending?