We’re all about the conversations we have here at Purple Pebble People. Much of our work revolves around supporting, coaching and teaching leaders how to have better conversations. Not only with their team members but also with their peers, managers, customers, clients and in many cases their families.
As a business, we spend a lot of our time in conversation at networking events, do you? Some of the events we attend we are familiar with, some less so…at both we are always interested and curious to listen to the types of conversations that are happening around the room.
There is the ‘selling’ conversation; the ‘all about me’ conversation; the ‘desperate to be accepted and hoping you like me’ conversation; there’s the conversations that aren’t happening, people being silent and not allowing themselves to been seen; there’s the ‘i’m new at this’ conversation and there’s (sadly) always the ‘gossiping bitchy’ conversation too.
We walk into the event holding our breath, hoping today will be the day we will meet like-minded people and avoid being pushed into the corner by the grey and beige brigade, there only with focus to convince me that I need to secure time with them to ‘save’ my business…
So tell me this, where are the events that leave you feeling great about yourself, leave you having learnt something new? Where are the events where having great conversations are at the heart of it?
Great conversations start with you, right? Knowing who you are, and having the skill to listen to first understand before being understood (ref: S Covey: 7 Habits of Highly Effective People).
What are the conversations you want to have? The conversations you have had in recent weeks that have set your soul alight?
We were asked only this week during a TV interview “what do you love most about your job?”…our response? Teaching people how to have great conversations. Conversations where we are authentic, vulnerable, relationship-focused and true. Would you agree?
