Podcast host Anna Martin on creating space for honest conversation – The Creative Independent

Curiosity, deep listening, and a sense of humor add up to a sense of presence. When we are fully present in our interactions, it is easier to have a nuanced understanding of, and empathy for, the other people involved.

conversation is crucial: Face-to-face conversation is the most human—and humanizing—thing we do.24 Fully present to one another, we learn to listen. It’s where we develop the capacity for empathy. It’s where we experience the joy of being heard, of being understood.

Christian makes a brilliant comparison between most polite conversation—small talk—and the “book,” arguing that true human interaction doesn’t start happening until one or both of the participants diverge from their scripts of culturally defined pleasantries. The book is necessary in some ways, as it is in chess (Bobby Fischer would disagree), in o

Alison Wood Brooks and Leslie K. John, professors at Harvard Business School, have explored how the power of asking the right questions can pull people closer together and increase depth and intimacy in relationships.

conversation is crucial: Face-to-face conversation is the most human—and humanizing—thing we do.24 Fully present to one another, we learn to listen. It’s where we develop the capacity for empathy. It’s where we experience the joy of being heard, of being understood.