The Art of Having a Good Conversation

A good conversation is full of possibilities. Knowing how to have a better conversation is vital for nurturing leadership, learning and change.

Tanmay Vora

Updated on March 7, 2023

First, a disclaimer – I am no expert in having great conversations. But I do know that quality of our conversations shape the reality and culture we live and work in.

I have seen countless meetings, planning sessions and leadership off-site sessions that were organized to facilitate conversation – but often end up being a forum for people to protect their ego, show their status or demonstrate their power through the words.

People dread meetings like these and why not? It doesn’t get anything done and worst, hurts the morale! In lean terms, ineffective conversations that don’t educate, inform, inspire or decide are a waste.

On the other hand, a conversation:

happens around a purpose
educates, informs, inspires or decides
involves talking as well as listening to verbal and non-verbal clues
requires full presence and openness of mind
carries possibility of a breakthrough
enables us to show our humanity (conversational empathy)
is an opportunity to add positive/constructive energy
is about asking open ended questions to spark thinking
is a two-way exchange of value in order to get something done
is about others (and their ideas/feelings

“Being aware of the energy you add or take from interactions is a sophisticated technique that radically changes the outcomes of the conversations that fill your day. Add the good stuff, absorb the bad stuff and focus on the outcomes, not the bravado.” – Seth Godin

When searching for resource on how to have a great conversation, I stumbled upon Celeste Headlee’s fantastic TED Talk. In the talk, she outlines 10 ways to have a better conversation that I mind mapped while listening. Later I turned the mind map into a #sketchnote. And here is the TED talk.

Gratitude

I am very grateful to Kurt Harden for including this blog in his annual list “25 Blogs Guaranteed to Make You Smarter“

Visual Thinking and Sketchnote Workshop – Jan 2023 Edition

The ability to draw isn’t given to us so we can all be artists. It’s given to us so that we can think/express clearly. Enroll today in this immersive workshop to learn about how to leverage the power of visual thinking to collaborate, create, learn and solve.

Updated: Visual Leadership Pack of 65+ HD Sketchnotes

If you liked the sketchnote summary above, check out the Visual Leadership Pack of HD Sketchnotes – a compilation of high-resolution sketchnotes with 68+ powerful (and timeless) ideas to elevate your leadership and learning game.