The growth in conversation

When good friends come together and have a conversation that is holistic,robust, energetic, probing and even surprising, you come away feeling inspired and stronger than when you arrived. I had this experience today: someone who cared to make a difference and in so doing, made a difference in the way I see the world.

Conversations make us grow. They provide us fuel to reconsider old stories and to step into new ones. Conversations grow ideas that may just be a seed initially or even just a breath. Suddenly, in dialogue, they become possible because of this interconnectedness, this trust and this excitement of possibility.

One of the most important tasks a leader performs in her everyday life is to initiate and encourage generative, dare I say, transformative conversations with the people she leads. If we listen deeply to someone who needs to be listened to, if we guide gently someone who seeks guidance, if we reflect back to them their value in the world, well, who knows what might happen?