“Context” is a simple but important word that derives from the Latin ‘con’ and ‘texere’ (to form ‘contextus’), which means ‘weave together’ and can be defined as the set of circumstances or facts that surround a particular event or situation.
If I could provide anyone starting in the professions whether as a lawyer, accountant, commercial manager, doctor or procurement executive with one tip as to how to succeed in their chosen career it would be to take the time to understand the overall context before giving advice.
So many times, the apparently simple initial request for support masks a far more important issue. So, for example, if as a lawyer a client approaches you and asks for an interpretation of a specific clause in a contract why does she or he want to know? Has the contract actually been signed and there is some dispute, or is it still being negotiated? Is this a one-off request founded in some curiosity about legal meaning – or is this a bet the company issue, the result of which could determine the fate of an entire organisation? Some simple questions about who, what, where, why and when will often uncover a much truer understanding of the context of the request and then facilitate the correct advice.
Stephen R Covey in his book the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People commented“Seek first to understand, then to be understood”. This means taking the time to listen and to probe the question and understand the real nature of the problem and the potential solution before giving an opinion. See this article How To understand Context Instead Of Just Responding which comments that Without context, we immediately jump in our heads to what we want to say next, based on the very first few words we hear from the other person.
And here is a more academic article Context is everything which contains this quote in its introduction ‘Social scientists of the most varying standpoints agree that human action can be rendered meaningful only by relating it to the contexts
in which it takes place. The meaning and consequences of a behaviour pattern will vary with the contexts in which it occurs. This is commonly recognized in the saying that there is a “time and a place for everything”.’ Alvin Gouldner, 1955.
It goes on to say Nothing exists, and therefore can be understood, in isolation from its context, for it is context that gives meaning to what we think and do.
So an elderly patient complaining of a sore foot should be given the chance to explain if and how they may have recently incurred an injury before jumping to the conclusion they have gout. A client requesting a pro forma agreement for a company purchase should be gently persuaded to say whether this is a business transfer or an acquisition of shares. I have now taken to refusing to provide template legal agreements unless I absolutely understand what it is for. I did this in private practice once under pressure from a client – only to be chastised by them a week later for providing an agreement which was not fit for the purpose they required – which they had neglected to explain!
Context matters for careers as well. A technology partner in a legal practice may fail to build a business in an avaricious “eat what you kill” law firm, but be very successful in a more collegiate practice – and vice versa.
This is equally true of leadership and the selection of leaders for different business opportunities – see this article which says There is a direct link between the context of a senior leadership role and the set of capabilities, experience and style that a leader will need to be effective in that position. For a business facing a changing competitive landscape, getting the strategy right may be the main business challenge that a new leader will need to address. Culture may be the primary business challenge for an organization that faces a war for talent and needs to improve employee engagement and loyalty. Only after carefully defining the business challenge, including the underlying conditions in which executives will have to lead, is it possible to understand what kind of leader is needed.
As the American painter Kenneth Noland said “For me context is the key – from that comes the understanding of everything.”
Or more generally It is practically impossible to understand a thought, an act, a move of any sort from the situation in which it occurs.– the American psychologist Jerome Bruner.
If I could provide anyone starting in the professions whether as a lawyer, accountant, commercial manager, doctor or procurement executive with one tip as to how to succeed in their chosen career it would be to take the time to understand the overall context before giving advice.
So many times, the apparently simple initial request for support masks a far more important issue. So, for example, if as a lawyer a client approaches you and asks for an interpretation of a specific clause in a contract why does she or he want to know? Has the contract actually been signed and there is some dispute, or is it still being negotiated? Is this a one-off request founded in some curiosity about legal meaning – or is this a bet the company issue, the result of which could determine the fate of an entire organisation? Some simple questions about who, what, where, why and when will often uncover a much truer understanding of the context of the request and then facilitate the correct advice.
Stephen R Covey in his book the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People commented“Seek first to understand, then to be understood”. This means taking the time to listen and to probe the question and understand the real nature of the problem and the potential solution before giving an opinion. See this article How To understand Context Instead Of Just Responding which comments that Without context, we immediately jump in our heads to what we want to say next, based on the very first few words we hear from the other person.
And here is a more academic article Context is everything which contains this quote in its introduction ‘Social scientists of the most varying standpoints agree that human action can be rendered meaningful only by relating it to the contexts
in which it takes place. The meaning and consequences of a behaviour pattern will vary with the contexts in which it occurs. This is commonly recognized in the saying that there is a “time and a place for everything”.’ Alvin Gouldner, 1955.
It goes on to say Nothing exists, and therefore can be understood, in isolation from its context, for it is context that gives meaning to what we think and do.
So an elderly patient complaining of a sore foot should be given the chance to explain if and how they may have recently incurred an injury before jumping to the conclusion they have gout. A client requesting a pro forma agreement for a company purchase should be gently persuaded to say whether this is a business transfer or an acquisition of shares. I have now taken to refusing to provide template legal agreements unless I absolutely understand what it is for. I did this in private practice once under pressure from a client – only to be chastised by them a week later for providing an agreement which was not fit for the purpose they required – which they had neglected to explain!
Context matters for careers as well. A technology partner in a legal practice may fail to build a business in an avaricious “eat what you kill” law firm, but be very successful in a more collegiate practice – and vice versa.
This is equally true of leadership and the selection of leaders for different business opportunities – see this article which says There is a direct link between the context of a senior leadership role and the set of capabilities, experience and style that a leader will need to be effective in that position. For a business facing a changing competitive landscape, getting the strategy right may be the main business challenge that a new leader will need to address. Culture may be the primary business challenge for an organization that faces a war for talent and needs to improve employee engagement and loyalty. Only after carefully defining the business challenge, including the underlying conditions in which executives will have to lead, is it possible to understand what kind of leader is needed.
As the American painter Kenneth Noland said “For me context is the key – from that comes the understanding of everything.”
Or more generally It is practically impossible to understand a thought, an act, a move of any sort from the situation in which it occurs.– the American psychologist Jerome Bruner.
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