Scanning allows us to take in enough information to serve our own purposes. Observation asks that you look at the other person and use the information you receive to help them.

Paul notices that while Richard is happy to air his views on a one to one basis, he rarely speaks out in meetings, even when the issue is one that Paul knows he has a view on.

In his scanning mode, Paul uses that data to raise issues with Richard informally, and to minimize the number of meetings he invites him to.

In his observational mode he feeds back to Richard, immediately after a particularly difficult meeting, that he has noticed that Richard said very little today, and wonders if he feels uncomfortable airing his views to large groups. Richard admits that he feels that by the time he has the confidence to speak out the agenda had moved on, so there is no point in speaking.

Paul is able to use that feedback as an opening to coach, through asking would you like some help in how to get your message across? .

Similarly, Rosemary has a very self-confident graduate trainee who is always pushing to get profile through taking on work that brings visibility. With her scanner, Rosemary gives him opportunities that she holds back from the less confident graduates in her group. When she sees him coming back from a visit to an external client looking downhearted, rather than ignoring the data,...