Chapter: Conversational Leadership Skills

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

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.

In this chapter, I look at some of the skills we need to practice Conversational Leadership effectively, why they are important, and how to develop them.

Use of Self

Conversational Leadership Habits

Introduction: Conversational Leadership Skills The technical abilities we use during a conversation

Impossible Conversations Oracy Is a Core Conversational Leadership Skill Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter What’s the Vibe? Please be patient as this may take up to a minute to load… Close Conversational Leadership Skills Posts that link to this post Introduction: Practicing Conversational Leadership Anyone can practice conversational leadership The Four Levels of Knowledge Management … Continue reading Introduction: Conversational Leadership Skills The technical abilities we use during a conversation

Oracy Is a Core Conversational Leadership Skill Communicating effectively in spoken language

Introduction: Conversational Leadership Skills Conversational Self-awareness Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter What’s the Vibe? Please be patient as this may take up to a minute to load… Close Without oracy skills, we would struggle to communicate our ideas and opinions, leading to challenges in personal and professional settings. This can include difficulty building … Continue reading Oracy Is a Core Conversational Leadership Skill Communicating effectively in spoken language

Conversational Self-awareness Being aware of our own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors during a conversation

Oracy Is a Core Conversational Leadership Skill Conversation Through the Lens of the Johari Window Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter What’s the Vibe? Please be patient as this may take up to a minute to load… Close Not being self-aware can lead to difficulty in personal growth and development, poor decision-making, and challenges … Continue reading Conversational Self-awareness Being aware of our own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors during a conversation

Conversation Through the Lens of the Johari Window Understanding ourselves and others through conversation

Conversational Self-awareness Conversational Awareness Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter What’s the Vibe? Please be patient as this may take up to a minute to load… Close Effective communication is essential for building strong relationships and developing self-awareness. When communication breaks down or misunderstandings occur, it can strain personal connections. The Johari Window model … Continue reading Conversation Through the Lens of the Johari Window Understanding ourselves and others through conversation

Conversational Awareness The skill of being able to pay attention to various elements of a conversation

Conversation Through the Lens of the Johari Window Empathy Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter What’s the Vibe? Please be patient as this may take up to a minute to load… Close Conversations are essential to our lives; however, we often lack awareness during interactions, leading to misunderstandings and conflicts. Developing conversational awareness through … Continue reading Conversational Awareness The skill of being able to pay attention to various elements of a conversation

Empathy Understanding and share the feelings of others

Conversational Awareness Cultural Competence ** Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter What’s the Vibe? Please be patient as this may take up to a minute to load… Close A lack of empathy can lead to difficulties building relationships, communication problems, reduced collaboration, and increased conflict and aggression. It also makes it challenging to understand … Continue reading Empathy Understanding and share the feelings of others

Cultural Competence ** Appreciating, and effectively interacting with people from different cultures and backgrounds

Empathy Open Mindedness ** Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter What’s the Vibe? Please be patient as this may take up to a minute to load… Close Continue reading Cultural Competence ** Appreciating, and effectively interacting with people from different cultures and backgrounds

Open Mindedness ** Willingness to seek and weigh evidence that challenges our beliefs, plans, or objectives

Cultural Competence ** Critical Thinking ** Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter What’s the Vibe? Please be patient as this may take up to a minute to load… Close Continue reading Open Mindedness ** Willingness to seek and weigh evidence that challenges our beliefs, plans, or objectives

Critical Thinking ** Analyzing information and arguments to make sound judgments and decisions

Open Mindedness ** Active Listening ** Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter What’s the Vibe? Please be patient as this may take up to a minute to load… Close Critical thinking objectively analyzes, evaluates, and synthesizes information to form a reasoned judgment or decision. It involves using logic and reasoning to examine assumptions, arguments, … Continue reading Critical Thinking ** Analyzing information and arguments to make sound judgments and decisions

Active Listening ** Listening attentively to understand and retain communicated information

Critical Thinking ** The Art of Navigating Conversations Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter What’s the Vibe? Please be patient as this may take up to a minute to load… Close Continue reading Active Listening ** Listening attentively to understand and retain communicated information

The Art of Navigating Conversations Choosing our repsonses carefully

Active Listening ** Conversational Continuous Self-improvement ** Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter What’s the Vibe? Please be patient as this may take up to a minute to load… Close The success of a conversation largely depends on how we choose to respond during our turn to speak. Our responses can either facilitate a … Continue reading The Art of Navigating Conversations Choosing our repsonses carefully

Conversational Continuous Self-improvement ** Making ongoing incremental improvements to our conversations

The Art of Navigating Conversations Difficult Conversations Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter What’s the Vibe? Please be patient as this may take up to a minute to load… Close What is conversational continuous self-improvement? We can improve our conversational abilities through the process of conversational continuous self-improvement. Our goal is to become more … Continue reading Conversational Continuous Self-improvement ** Making ongoing incremental improvements to our conversations

Difficult Conversations Navigating emotionally challenging conversations

Conversational Continuous Self-improvement ** Impossible Conversations Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter What’s the Vibe? Please be patient as this may take up to a minute to load… Close A difficult conversation is unpleasant, one where we feel discomfort and awkwardness, such as asking our boss for a pay rise or confronting a neighbor. … Continue reading Difficult Conversations Navigating emotionally challenging conversations

Impossible Conversations Navigating conversations across ideological divides

Difficult Conversations Introduction: Conversational Leadership Skills Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter What’s the Vibe? Please be patient as this may take up to a minute to load… Close An impossible conversation may feel futile as it occurs between individuals who possess radically different ideas, beliefs, morals, politics, or worldviews. Such conversations are likely … Continue reading Impossible Conversations Navigating conversations across ideological divides

Use of Self

Conversational Leadership Habits