The Power of Conversation

As we all spend more time scrolling on our phones and working remotely, we are spending less time talking to those around us. Whether we are ignoring our family members on the couch, or spending that down time with our teammates on our phones, what we know is that conversation is a dying art. 

But conversation is such an important part of human connection, growth and development. Relationships don’t grow without taking the time to learn about one another, to understand each other’s stories and to be able to add value to each other’s lives. 

Conversation is a key to success in all areas of our lives - personally and professionally. Without the ability to talk and share with those around us, we could find ourselves alone and isolated, and likely struggling to figure out our next steps. 

Here’s why conversation matters. 

It connects us with others.

The ability to share and talk with other people is an incredibly powerful way to build meaningful relationships. Sharing your story and intentionally listening to the stories of others is the first step to any important relationship in your life. Conversation is how we can make sense of who someone is and what they care about. And connecting with others is an important part of growth as an individual - we all need a support system and conversation can help us build one. 

It can help us process what we are going through. 

When we can vocalize what situations we are dealing with, we can sometimes find relief in just speaking it out loud. Many of us have likely experienced this feeling of relief when we share a concern with someone else. Maybe they have the same concern and we can relate to one another that way. Or maybe they have a way to help us feel less worried about this situation. Whatever the case, talking with others about what is going on in our lives is a great way to process that information and see it reflected back to us from a different person’s perspective. 

It can help us learn and grow. 

Without conversations, we miss out on important perspectives and stories that can shape how we see the world. Imagine if we have never spoken to a member of our team before - how can we expect to be able to work together to win the game? When we have conversations with one another, we can better understand what each of us cares about and how we can best work together. We also can learn new information that helps us grow as individuals and could spark new ideas and pathways for our own journey.

So the next time we are on the couch with our family, or we have time with our teammates, instead of going for our phones, let’s aim to start a conversation. Whether it’s small talk or an important conversation about what we are going through, we can build genuine connections, learn new things and better process what we are dealing with in our own lives.

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