The Story

In this episode, Joanna shares a personal story that highlights the importance of seeking to understand before being understood, a principle that has shaped her leadership approach. She recounts her husband Rob's experience as a headteacher and the challenges he faced, emphasising how judgment from others can lead to misunderstandings and emotional pain. Joanna provides practical steps for listeners to cultivate understanding in their interactions, ultimately encouraging a shift from judgment to empathy and leadership.

Key Takeaways

• Seek first to understand before being understood is powerful.
• Judgment can lead to misunderstandings and emotional pain.
• Rob's experience as a headteacher highlights the need for empathy.
• Pause before reacting to create space for understanding.
• Ask open questions to bridge gaps in understanding.
• Listen beyond words to grasp deeper meanings.
• Seek context to understand the bigger picture.
• Self-awareness is crucial for healthy interactions.
• Leadership is about perspective and understanding.
• Curiosity over judgment fosters better relationships.

The Soul - Journal prompts

Where in your life do you react quickly instead of pausing to understand?

• What assumptions are you making about others that might not be true?
• When was the last time someone really sought to understand you — and how did that make you feel?
• How can you create more space to understand yourself before seeking understanding from others?
• What relationships in your life would shift if you led with curiosity instead of judgement?

Universal Guidance

The card I pulled today is the Two of Wands.

This is a card of vision, decision, and stepping into new territory. It reminds us that leadership is not just about action, but about perspective. Standing at the threshold of possibility, you hold the choice: do you rush ahead with assumptions, or do you expand your view and see the whole horizon before you?

This card invites you to step into your role as the visionary of your own life — to make choices from a place of understanding, clarity, and expanded awareness. Just like holding the world in your hands, your power lies in perspective. When you seek to understand, you open doors that would remain closed if you rushed to be understood first.

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🌐 Connect with Me

Let’s keep this conversation going!

📸 Instagram: @becomingnoordinarywoman
🌍 Website: www.joannapetrierout.com
💌 Email: support@joannapetrierout.com

Thank you for listening — and for choosing to become No Ordinary Woman.

See you next week.