The amount of communication required in a relationship is inversely proportional to the amount of trust in it.
Trust shows up in the the proportion of time both folks in a relationship assume good intent. So, when this assumption isn’t made by default, it needs to be replaced by a lot of communication to signal good intent or repair damage caused by assumed bad intent.
That’s why some of the best investments in efficient communication come from embracing inefficiency in the early stages of relationships – e.g. investing in getting to know each other before starting on a project or during periods of uncertainty.
Our long term relationship effectiveness, thus, hinges on our ability to consistently go slow to go fast.
(H/T: Ben Horowitz’s new book on culture of sparking the reflection on communication and trust)
