Conversion is most potent when it is strategic, but what is a strategic conversation?
You will find many definitions on the web of what constitutes a strategic conversation, but here is the one that I think is the most potent.
A strategic conversation has the potential to influence the future direction of an individual, an organization, a community, a society, or the world.
A strategic conversation is not:
- a regular meeting
- a brainstorming meeting
- a conversation that addresses short-term operational issues
Spontaneous Conversations
A strategic conversation can be a spontaneous, casual corridor chat or a conversation over coffee. A corridor chat can quickly turn strategic without anyone consciously recognizing the fact.
It is far too easy to let good ideas that have surfaced in a casual conversation slide and go nowhere.
The trick with such conversations is not to let them pass but to recognize the potential in what has been discussed and follow up on the discussion.
This could be a broader conversation with more people, a conversation with your manager, or writing a short email, report, or proposal.
Or it could be that you and your conversational partner schedule another slightly more formal conversation to discuss things in more depth and decide on appropriate action.
The key is to follow up in some way.
Intentional Conversations
A strategic conversation can be designed intentionally and convened to address a significant vital issue or challenge faced by a team, a department, or a whole organization.
A conversation architect often designs a strategic conversation.
The conversation can be convened as part of a sense-making activity or strategy formulation or execution.
Intentional conversations around strategy can be a one-off, or they can be ongoing.
Further Reading and Viewing
An excellent guide to strategic conversations is the book of the same name, Strategic Conversations, by J.-C. Sender and Bruce A. Strong.
J.-C. and Bruce talk a little about the book in the video below. One point I would like to make is that, in my opinion, strategic conversations need not be confined to structured discussions between employees and senior managers. They need not be structured, and they can be between anyone.
A strategic conversation has the potential to shape the direction in which we are traveling — be it as an individual, a business, an organization, a community, a society, or the world.
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Things Todo
- Think. What is the strategic conversation you should be having right now? What is the issue, and who needs to be involved in the discussion?
Resources
- Article: How to Host Strategic Conversations That Inspire Creativity, Innovation, and Engagement
- Article: The Strategic Importance of Conversations
Posts that link to this post
- The Role of the Knowledge Café in Open/adaptive Strategy An ideal tool to help implement open strategy
- When Coffee Chats Become Catalysts for Change What makes a conversation strategic?
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