Make Time to Talk The lack of time for conversation is just an excuse

Make time to talk: Work is complex and time is tight; conversation is treated as optional and gets squeezed out; make time to talk early and often to prevent rework, build trust, and save time overall.

Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.

Credit: Abraham Lincoln

The time invested in conversation almost always yields a payoff and saves time in the long term.

There is never enough time to do everything we would like to do in a day. The real issue is that conversation is not considered essential and is therefore not prioritized.

If we need to cut down a tree, taking the time to sharpen the saw is not a waste. It is an investment.

How much time is wasted in organizations every day because people repeat mistakes, do work that is not needed, do things the hard way when there are easier ways, and miss opportunities to do transformational things?

And worse, how much time is wasted when people do not know each other well, distrust each other, miscommunicate, compete, and even fight and backstab each other?

Saving time

First, time can be saved by:

• Surfacing hidden problems and issues with Knowledge Cafés and breaking down silo-working.
• Running peer-assists to learn from others before starting a project. These need not be formal – just having a conversation with a project leader who has run a similar project in the past over coffee will pay dividends.
• Talking with someone face-to-face rather than emailing them may seem inefficient. Still, it can prevent problems when things are miscommunicated or misunderstood, and trust and relationships can be irreparably damaged.
• All of these and more can save significant time in the long term and often prevent the failure of projects or other endeavors.

No extra time needed

Second, much conversational work does not require additional time; it simply takes a different approach. The following habits take little or no extra time:

• Making a meeting or a presentation more conversational.
• Taking a conversational approach to management training rather than a traditional lecture-based one.
• Convening a five-minute after-action review after a one-hour meeting.
• It’s better to talk to someone face-to-face or by phone rather than by email.
• Speaking up in a meeting.
• Listening with the intent to improve thinking rather than the “intent to reply.”
• Eating lunch with people rather than taking a sandwich at your desk.

Time for strategic thinking

Third,  Conversational Leadership, at its best, is about designing and convening conversations around critical business or strategic issues.

Don't use the excuse that you don't have time to talk.

If you value conversation, you will make time for it.

Credit: David Gurteen

We can choose to treat conversation as part of our work, not a break from it. By talking earlier, listening better, and meeting face-to-face when it matters, we reduce waste and build trust. The action is simple. We make time to talk, starting today.