Why does everyone want to have a conversation?

"...we have to acknowledge that our lack of tolerance for vulnerable, 
tough conversations is driving our self-sorting and disconnection."

 Everyone wants to have a conversation. If you listen to the news, talk shows, water-cooler talk and so on, you will hear people say, "We need a [global, national, local, company, family] conversation on ..." 

 Everyone knows some tough conversations are needed if we are to address some of the challenging situations in our world today. Logistically these conversations don't seem to happen or happen in unhelpful ways because:

  1. We are talking with others that hold the same views as us.
  2. Our conversations are happening in settings that only benefit a small number of people. 
  3. The conversations are not always moderated intentionally to produce impactful results. 
  4. Seldom do the conversations we have lead to actionable and collaborative next steps. 
However, there is a bigger problem and Brene Brown hits on it in her Fast Company article (link above). The bold and practical conversations that will help people understand, heal and move forward take a level of courage and empathy that we seldom see. 

Maya Angelou said, "History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again." We get our courage to face today's conversations from the pain we have walked through. That pain produces growth and then we develop conviction. 

 We can design countless online forums, town hall meetings, niche conferences and special events, but without a courage that comes from deep pain, growth and conviction, those words will remain empty shells. 

 So let's have those conversations, but before we do, help the world find those bold courageous people to be the light the rest of us can learn from. And who knows, maybe each of us will get the chance to play that role as we understand our past and dream about the future. 

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