Page 196 - The Voice of Authority

Without feedback at work, employees drift toward the
door.

Cultivate Compelling Conversations

Think how often you replay conversations in your head—
what you’ve said or plan to say to someone. Consider con-
versations a learning tool. They teach you both intellectual
and emotional truth. That said, use them to create circu-
lar communication.
Bring people together. Be thought provoking. Start wa-
tercooler conversations to improve processes, save money,
make money, discover new markets, or innovate. Find new
places to talk to get the creative juices flowing.
Resolve conflict productively, but don’t squelch it. Level
the playing field to generate good debate and input, but
keep the power balanced. These comments will come in
handy: “Give these people a hand for opening the door on
a new suggestion.” “We’ll need to thank Teri and Carlos
for pointing out our blind spot on this issue—this could
have cost us a lot of time down the road.” Set the ground
rules so that others learn how to respond constructively to
diverse opinions, without interrupting, minimizing, and
attacking.
Most important of all, don’t let a quick wit turn into a
sharp tongue that shuts
down the whole conversa-
tion. Avoid being the resi- Don’t let a quick wit
dent gloom-and-doom turn into a sharp tongue
critic or the Pollyanna who that shuts down the
placates but fails to support whole conversation.
the ongoing dialogue.
Create value and recog-
nize value in those who influence others to think.

184 The Voice of Authority