Book-in-quotes series # 5

Conversations at Work

Promoting a Culture of Conversation in the Changing

Workplace

AuthorsDr Tim Baker

& Aubrey Warren

“In the grand scheme of things, our lives are a network of conversations

about a host of topics with a variety of people in an array of contexts”.

“The clear demarcation of roles and responsibilities and the unequal and overt

power structures that supports this unwritten contract is an anathema to

considered, constructive, and collaborative conversations”.

“All relationships that work are based upon shared responsibility.

Conversations are the catalyst for developing the employment

relationship.”

“Attention is the price we pay for insight, understanding,

criticalthinking, learning, and

successful action.”

“Traditional performance reviews are not what we classify as developmental conversations; instead of performance development, performance reviews are

essentially about performance assessment.”

“In addition to the five performance conversations, opportunities abound

for additional conversations that support, acknowledge, enable, and

encourage the development of others.”

“Every conversation we have influences – and is influenced by – the relationship that exists between those in conversation. So it’s important to plan, manage, and observe what’s

happening in conversations – our own and others”.

“Leaders get criticized for involving others too much or too little

in the decision-making process; it is often hard to strike the

right balance.”

“One way to think about our communication skills is to look in

the mirror and see what our face has to tell us. It’s a practical cue we can

use every day to focus on some powerful communication behaviors”.

“Listening is sometimes called ‘the neglected communication skill’ – perhaps because it looks easy, passive, and instinctive. Experience tells us, however, that it’s anything but. It takeseffort, energy, and skill to be a good listener. But the rewards

are well worth the effort. And not only because it makes usbetter communicators –

effectively listening can help other people communicate

better too”.

“Although our natural default position is seeing things through our own eyes,

in conversations where there are differences of viewpoint, this is the

least helpful perspective to assume.”

“We don’t only listen with our ears. We can also listen with our eyes – watching for the

important nonverbal messagesthat people are sending. And this also means that we are communicating –

intentionally or otherwise – by the way webehave.”

“We hear a lot about learning organizations. But we miss a lot

of learning when we focus only on providing answers rather

than tapping into the power of questions.”

“Are you or your organization maintaining an ‘edge’ by ensuring the two-way flow of

communication? Or are you paying‘ignorance tax’? To stay connected to your

operating environment and to tap into a team’s intelligence requires a commitmentto creating safe, open channels of honest,

immediate information.”

This book is schedule for release in September, 2015.

Go to www.winnersatwork.com.au to get your signed copy