That interview with Emma Serlin is now live: http://extraordinarybusinessbooks.com/episode-47-the-communication-equation-with-emma-serlin/. Communication and conversations are very much on my mind at the moment – I’m currently in the US about to lead a 2-day retreat for the senior management team of a university press, which is going to involve communication at all levels.
As an extrovert, I thrive on conversation. I got chatting to the distinguished looking man next to me on the plane yesterday, who happened to be Iranian-born, so we had a fasincating discussion about the impact of the recent US travel restrictions on him and his family (and also his professional network – he is an eminent cardiac surgeon). It also turned out that he is a close friend of the surgeon who performed my thymectomy in Oxford back in 1998. Imagine all those points of contact and coincidence that link us all, except that usually we’re too busy or reserved to take time to uncover them.
Conversations are crucial for business too, but it’s so often easier just to hide behind our screens or focus on dealing with people we already know. My friend Karen Skidmore is running her superb Conversation Challenge again this month – 10 days of simple, practical challenges to get you out of your comfort zone and engaging with the people who are really going to make a difference to your business. I thoroughly recommend it (I’ve done it twice now, with amazing results, including several new clients and an interview with Seth Godin!). Take a look, and sign up if you like the sound of it.