JS Tip 20: From the Building Teams Workshop: Generating Conversations

Oh, WOW!

Kathi Sparkes of Wells Fargo pointed out that one of our address groups didn’t get a copy of the Tips this morning. They got the e-mail, but they didn’t get the Tip.

This is our fault. We apologize.

So here’s a second e-mail, with the Tip firmly attached.

Again, we apologize.  

From the Building Teams Workshop: Generating Conversations

Conversation improves relationships. Conversation between co-workers builds teams and improves morale.

Develop some “conversation starters”: “Charlie, where are you originally from? Where were you born and raised?” “Rachel, if you could have any job in the company, what would you do?” (or, “If you could have any job in the world, what would you do?”)

Use the conversation-starters during down times. Lunchtimes. Breaktimes. Start the conversation, listen to what the other person says, and keep the conversation going: 

“Charlie, where are you originally from? Where were you born and raised?”

“Phoenix.”

“You must have seen a lot of changes in the city while you were growing up.”    

“Oh, wow, let me tell you about it. The freeways were brand new when I was a kid . . . .”

Dale Carnegie, in his classic How to Win Friends and Influence People, counseled, “Encourage others to talk about themselves.” The counsel is just as effective today (perhaps more so) as it was when the book was published in 1936.

If you have suggestions for the Tips, let us know. We’d love to hear from you.

(Darrell Harmon of Crucial Conversations suggested we change the font for the Tips. Darrell: Thank you.)