Better Conversations can lead to innovation

Did you know that Thanksgiving week is also Better Conversation Week?

The week encourages everyone to have more open, meaningful conversations with their loved ones, conveniently at a time of year when many of us see family members and friends we don’t see all that often. This week also creates awareness about the benefits of better conversation. Over the past decade, we’ve all seen the impact of electronic devices taking over our communication with each other with the unfortunate result being that the art of conversation is starting to die out. Yet connections are fundamental to huma n existence and conversations are the way that connections both get initially made and then get strengthened.

So what makes for good conversations?

Great conversations stem from listening (no, really listening) and building it from there. Listen with the intent to understand. Resist the urge to reply, and carefully consider what you want to say. Moreover, know your audience. We meet diverse people from various walks of life every day, such as corporate hotshots, conservative neighbors, and exhausted spouses — each one views the world differently. Meaningful dialogue takes place when we meet everyone in the middle, and if you find the conversation isn’t going anywhere, ask open-ended questions. It always works!

This is also how good consumer research should work. It shouldn’t feel like an interview. Instead, we try to start a conversation. We spend most of our time listening, and asking follow-up questions based on what the consumer is telling us and based on our own innate curiosity about the project.

And guess what?  That’s also how ideas get sparked.  By opening ourselves up to truly hear someone else’s perspectives, thoughts, experiences, we can then make connections to other experiences we’ve had ourselves or heard about from others and potentially… identify an unmet need, or maybe a solution to an unmet need.  Voila! Innovation.

How can you turn this into action?

Great conversations are focused on the other person, not on you.  When we execute our EMBR innovation process, we think very carefully about focusing on others and their needs vs our expectations. So, check your preconceived notions and biases at the door.  Get genuinely curious about the other person and their thoughts.  Hold back on that desire to insert yourself and your experience(s) even if you’re just trying to build connection. Be empathetic - put yourself in their shoes and try to see the world through their eyes.

They require you to be fully present and engaged (otherwise, how can you truly listen?). Put down your devices, focus your attention on the other person.

Ask open-ended questions.  Listen to the answers and then ask more questions about the answers.

Use the phrase “Tell Me…” People love to share their experiences. Get out of behavioral interview questions mode and just be curious: “Tell me, what got you interested in [whatever they’re doing these days]” “What’s your 7 year old’s favorite food. Ooh - tell me what makes that their favorite?”

You’ll be amazed at what you can learn and what ideas come out of those learnings. Happy talking!