By Julia Langkraehr, founder of Bold Clarity

Seasoned EO members continually hear the buzzwords “Gestalt communication.” That’s not to say it doesn’t hold value; on the contrary, Gestalt Language Protocol is the foundation of our Forum interactions and, in many ways, the vehicle for our personal growth. By speaking from experience instead of giving advice, the Gestalt mindset teaches—it doesn’t tell. People can take their own learnings from others’ experiences, resulting in greater and more long-term impact.

What I’ve noticed in my facilitation workshops is that, on the whole, we tend to forget why this mindset is so effective in the business realm. One of the biggest pitfalls we create for ourselves is a habit of assumption. We assume everyone gets the “big picture,” and they understand their role within the organization and how their actions help achieve a larger vision. We assume our team members know all of the challenges and opportunities the business faces. And most egregiously, we assume we only have to say things once. What does this have to do with the Gestalt mindset? Everything.

For all of the time we spend relating to our entrepreneurial peers, finding points of connection and making sure we don’t impose our assumptions on their lives, we forget to do the same to some of the closest people in our lives—our teams. As someone who has dedicated her business to transforming the processes of companies through an Entrepreneurial Operating System® (EOS), I have identified three steps that tie into Forum’s principals. First, compose a vision to align all leaders and team members around a single, common goal. Second, create traction by identifying—and then implementing—an execution plan to hold everyone accountable. Finally, build a healthy leadership group by employing the Gestalt mindset, teaching your team to make good decisions around the company’s core values.

Just as in Forum, when we can openly and honestly share our experiences, and work with our leadership teams to establish a Gestalt mindset, we can expect to see holistic growth and transformation within our companies. And that’s an experience worth sharing.