Anatomy of Inspiration
Adapting to change always starts with
how we talk with one another. Often,
unfortunately, it ends there as well.
This article dissects a hypothetical
conversation set in a business context---
one that mirrors conversational
patterns that recur in organizations
and groups of all sorts when people
encounter profoundly different realities
and find themselves, naturally, holding
very different opinions about them.
What seems obvious to one person is
far from it for another, and one group’s
urgent necessities present questionable
premises for others.
Given the immense uncertainties and
risks involved, the only thing surprising
about such communication breakdowns
is that we still view them as surprising.
Sustainability innovators can ill afford
to be unprepared or unskillful when it
comes to fostering engaging conversations
that build mutual understanding
and the ability to work together.
And developing teams that can think
together more productively is not a
marginal issue; too often the so-called
"soft stuff" of business, such as deeper
listening skills and consciously shifting
perspectives on issues, seems to matter
less than "hard" investments and organizational
strategies.
But working together effectively is
essential to meeting hard goals. Individuals
simply operate on too small a scale.
And individuals can move companies and
organizations, and even larger communities,
if they join in creating inspired
teams or groups as the starting point.
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