Chapter: Conversational Leadership Habits


Coffee conversation

Whether in conversation we generally agree or disagree with others is largely a matter of habit: the one tendency makes as much sense as the other.

Credit: Friedrich Nietzsche

Conversational Leadership
To practice Conversational Leadership, it is essential to understand the difference between Conversational Leadership mindset, skills, habits, and methods.

A Conversational Leadership mindset is our mental attitudes, approaches, or ways of thinking about practicing Conversational Leadership. Our beliefs, values, and experiences shape it, impacting our ability to hold productive conversations and practice effective leadership.

Conversational Leadership skills involve facilitating open and constructive conversations, actively listening, building trust, and empowering others to collaborate towards shared goals.

Conversational Leadership habits are how we use those abilities daily, such as avoiding judgment, showing empathy, and being present in a conversation. We develop these habits and tendencies over time through repeated actions and experiences.

Conversational Leadership methods are structured conversational processes that bring a group of people together to discuss a topic or an issue.

Developing our Conversational Leadership mindset, skills, habits, and methods improves our ability to lead and communicate effectively.

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In this chapter, I look at some of the habitual ways we communicate face-to-face and practice Conversational Leadership.


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Introduction: Conversational Habits The habitual ways in which we practice Conversational Leadership

Conversational Leadership To practice Conversational Leadership, it is essential to understand the difference between Conversational Leadership mindset, skills, habits, and methods. This chapter focuses on habits A Conversational Leadership mindset is our mental attitudes, approaches, or ways of thinking about practicing Conversational Leadership. Our beliefs, values, and experiences shape it, … Continue reading Introduction: Conversational Habits The habitual ways in which we practice Conversational Leadership

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Say So, If You Don’t Have an Opinion It's perfectly OK to say ‘Sorry, I don’t know’

Converse in Good Faith Carpe Diem – Seize the Day What’s the Vibe? Please be patient as this may take up to a minute to load… Close If we don’t have an opinion, we should say so: In our modern-day culture, it is almost illegal not to have an opinion on an issue, regardless of Continue reading Say So, If You Don’t Have an Opinion It’s perfectly OK to say ‘Sorry, I don’t know’

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Speak in Plain Language We should use everyday natural language that everyone understands.

Speak Last Turn Monologues Into Dialogues What’s the Vibe? Please be patient as this may take up to a minute to load… Close Speak in plain language: The language of many professionals is highly specialized and full of unnecessary jargon. This alienates many laypeople and those in other disciplines. To communicate effectively, we should use Continue reading Speak in Plain Language We should use everyday natural language that everyone understands.

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Turn Monologues Into Dialogues Talk with people rather than talk at them

Speak in Plain Language Take Responsibility for the Conversation ** What’s the Vibe? Please be patient as this may take up to a minute to load… Close Turn monologues into dialogues: Turn one-way communication into two-way conversations. Talk with people rather than at them. A monologue is a speech delivered by one person or a Continue reading Turn Monologues Into Dialogues Talk with people rather than talk at them

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Take Responsibility for the Conversation ** We all need to take responsibility for the quality of our conversations

Take responsibility for the conversation: A few participants dominate many conversations, and as a result, there is no real engagement or energy in the discussion. How can this be resolved? The solution is for us all to take responsibility for the quality of the conversations in which we engage. Continue reading Take Responsibility for the Conversation ** We all need to take responsibility for the quality of our conversations

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Listen Empathically ** Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply

Listen to Ignite Thinking Listen with the Intent to Understand What’s the Vibe? Please be patient as this may take up to a minute to load… Close Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply. Credit: Stephen R. Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Continue reading Listen Empathically ** Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply

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Listen with the Intent to Understand Don't listen with the intent to reply

Listen Empathically ** Don’t Discourage Dissent What’s the Vibe? Please be patient as this may take up to a minute to load… Close Listen with the intent to understand: Don’t listen with the intent to judge or reply. We all appreciate the benefits of listening, such as listening to ignite other people’s thinking, but most Continue reading Listen with the Intent to Understand Don’t listen with the intent to reply

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Stop Ditting Ditting is the dubious art of trumping the previous person's story

Banter with Care Hold Strong Opinions Weakly ** What’s the Vibe? Please be patient as this may take up to a minute to load… Close Stop ditting: Why, in conversation, do we not only listen with the intent to reply but the intent to dit – to trump the other person’s story? In conversation, ditting Continue reading Stop Ditting Ditting is the dubious art of trumping the previous person’s story