When people want coaching, a listening ear, or a team comes in and talks about someone not in the room, it’s all the same.
Some series of events occurs, their interpretation of those events is strewn together, and the story is told. The question is, is that story forwarding or limiting you?
When you sit down to tell that story, what do you want?
No really, what do you want? Are you searching for empathy, sympathy, the “right” answer, a solution, to be heard, validated, or witnessed? Are you hoping for your audience to listen and then side with you?
If you can articulate what you want, you may alleviate some frustration with those listeners who are unclear and offer their version of what they think you want.
You see, regardless of the story, you can only help the person in front of you. The rest is speculation.