Sometimes all it takes is one conversation to completely alter the course of a career, a relationship, and even history. Day by day, our lives proceed one conversation at a time. Sometimes they fail one conversation at a time too.

Some conversations are clearly more important than others. Those in which expectations are agreed or in which people are confronted with the impact of their behaviour, can alter relationships and careers. Those in which you speak up carelessly with your critical opinions or accusations can alter your own career!

Many of our conversations are ineffective. We don’t speak up with what we truly think and feel. We don’t listen properly when others tell us how they think and feel. We use politeness when we should be honest. We skirt around sensitive issues; or storm in with accusation and blame when we feel we have been wronged.

Poor conversations result in a great deal of frustration: the frustration when you do not speak up and more when you do, but feel that you are not being heard: the frustration of knowing that you are not getting to the bottom of a problem or are not being told the whole truth.

How effective are your conversations? How skilful are you? What do you do well? Where could you do better?

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Straight Talk: conversations at work that get results, Now on sale for only R130.