Conversations Worth Having Blog

Communication is at the heart of everything we do. Enjoy our blog where we explore how conversations can increase engagement, leadership practices, decision making, collective capacity, and more.

Civility is more than just being polite. It is about our ability and willingness to have robust and respectful conversations about community, choices, and civic duty with people who hold different views.

Restoring Civility to Our Conversations Sep 29, 2018

Cassandra Dahnke and Tomas Spath, Founders of the Institute for Civility in Government, define civility as “claiming and caring for one’s identity, needs, and beliefs without degrading...

Conversations build community. A conversation worth having is one that communicates verbally and non-verbally, I care about you and you belong. When we have these kinds of conversations, the world of connection and creative possibility open up.

Building Community One Conversation at a Time Sep 29, 2018

If you look up the meaning of community. You’ll find a lifeless (IMHO) definition: people living in a certain place (as a village or city) : the area itself.

I don’t think this is what...

All across the country school is beginning. If you’re a parent, grandparent, or favorite neighbor, help the kids you interact with have a great school year by talking about what they love about school, focus on highpoint experiences, mutually positive friendships, and using their strengths!

Make it the Best School Year Yet! Sep 01, 2018

All across the country school is beginning. Labor Day officially marks the end of the summer for everyone. If you’re a parent, grandparent, or favorite neighbor, help the kids you...

Ever encounter someone that sabotages efforts to maintain a strong team? Perhaps they talk negatively about others and sow seeds of distrust and exclusion? What do you do in those situations? How can you engage in conversations worth having with this individual?

Dealing with Divisiveness Aug 22, 2018

This week I was in a conversation with a group of business leaders about how to have a conversation worth having with someone who’s actions are sabotaging efforts to maintain a strong team....

The statistics about college student wellness flew in the face of what most of us might think. Instead of being the happiest days of their lives, way too many students felt hopeless, depressed enough to seek help, and were overly stressed. See one professor's solution to this growing epidemic.

How to Be Happier Aug 16, 2018

I recently heard Professor Laurie Santos, Yale University, speak on positive education. The statistics about college student wellness flew in the face of what she and most of us might think....

Dr. Amy Climer, creativity consultant and expert, affirms, “Conversation plays a BIG role in creativity. How someone reacts to other people’s ideas either elevates or kills creativity in the moment.” How can you engage in conversations that spark creativity?

The Role of Conversation in Creative Problem-Solving Aug 12, 2018

I recently spoke with creativity consultant and expert, Dr. Amy Climer, about the role conversation plays in her work to ignite creativity for teams. Amy affirms, “Conversation plays a BIG...

“Tough Conversations” Is an Illusion! Jul 04, 2018

What if tough conversations were only tough because of our mindset? Most of us use this label when we don’t know how to have a conversation without hurting someone’s feelings or...

How Do Your Conversations Feel? Jun 24, 2018

This month I, Jackie Stavros, was invited to share Conversations Worth Having at the Natural View Marketplace and Wellness Medspa in my hometown, Brighton, Michigan. I opened with a...

I recently learned about Sarah Silverman’ decision to “be nice”. If you’re not familiar with Silverman, she is a comedian known for her cutting & politically incorrect humor. She decided that “in this Trump era, our country is too divided” & she would stop feeding the animosity with divisive humor.

Sarah Silverman: Changing Everything by Changing the Conversation Jun 23, 2018

I recently learned about Sarah Silverman’ decision to “be nice” (see Drew Magary’s article Sarah Silverman is the Troll Slayer in GQ). If you’re not familiar with...

Ever been at an event that required you to engage with others -- like a cocktail party? Do you find it hard to start up conversations with others? How do you get conversations going?

The Dreaded Cocktail Party Mar 14, 2018

I dread cocktail parties. Chit chat about nothing with total strangers or stranding by myself trying to look comfortable.

So here I was going to one of these events at the behest of my spouse. I...

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