The Art of Conscious Conversations

Recognize the negative mental habits that derail conversations and destroy projects—and forge authentic, enduring, and productive connections. We live in conversations like fish live in water—we’re in them all the time, so we don’t think about them much. As a result, we can find ourselves stuck in cyclical patterns of unproductive behaviors. We listen half-heartedly, react emotionally, and respond habitually, like we’re on autopilot. This is a practical guide for thoughtfully reflecting on conversations and avoiding the common pitfalls that cause our relationships and work to go sideways. Chuck Wisner identifies four universal types of conversations and offers specific advice to maximize the effectiveness of each: Storytelling—Investigate the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves and others Collaborative—Explore the way our stories and other people’s stories