We have conversations everyday – some mundane, some important, some even significant. As business owners though, some of the most valuable conversations we can have are what I call ‘robust conversations’. A robust conversation is hearty, meaty and full of juice. It creates new ways of looking at things, sparks new ideas and uncovers ways to improve the condition of your business … and in doing so, improve your personal condition. A robust conversation can feel like a whack to the chest – but in a good way – where you feel a bit winded for the possibilities that have been unearthed. In fact, as I described to a colleague the other day, at the end of such a conversation, I was left “exhilarated, breathless and excited, yet still grounded in reality”. There is tangible value in robust business conversations;
- you tap into new revenue streams
- you discover new ways to manage your business – saving you time and money
- you discover flawed systems, processes or even thinking – which once fixed will make or save money, time and other resources
- you create new paradigms, or realities, from which to operate, enabling you to ‘lift’ or ‘change’ your game
- you uncover ways to manage your business better
- you improve performance
So how do you have robust conversations?
First you have to create the space that allows such conversations to take place. Robust conversations rarely take place in the weekly management meeting which is dictated by a strict agenda. Instead you need ‘free’ space and time where you can talk freely. You need to have trust – everyone involved needs to feel safe to express their opinions without consequence. This includes safe to express themselves without feeling like they’re ‘exposing’ themselves unnecessarily. You also need a willingness by all concerned to actively engage and participate … freeloaders suck the energy out of a robust conversation, but likewise so do over-bearing, excessive contributors. You need to be willing to ask, and answer, challenging, confronting questions. Now, a confronting question isn’t an ‘attack’ … but it is a challenge of a thought, a paradigm or an existing condition. And you need to be willing to listen. Robust conversations can take place one-on-one or with a small group of people … just so long as everyone is heard and there is sufficient ‘organic’ room for people to run with tangents without taking over. Robust conversations therefore can be a bit messy – you can’t always ‘wait-your-turn’ or give people equal time to speak … that level of structure and control kills the very meatiness that yields the results. Robust conversations can happen spontaneously when these conditions are met or they can happen by design … where you ask a trusted colleague or even hire a professional to have a ‘meaty’ conversation about your business. I don’t think there’s a ‘formula’ for the regularity of such conversations (because, after-all, somewhere in the day the work still needs to get done, and the conversation needs to be converted into action), but I do think it’s important that you seek opportunities for such conversations to keep your mind and your business ‘fresh’. What are your thoughts? What have you experienced when you’ve engaged in a robust conversation? What do you gain? Do you need to consciously create another opportunities for such conversations or does your space foster them spontaneously? I’d love to hear your thoughts … and have a robust conversation right here.
