Do you feel that you are not connecting with people as well as you would like? Do you feel confined by what you view as a lack of conversation confidence? As part of your professional and personal New Year resolutions, have you had a chance to think about adopting some communication best practices for 2020? Have you taken some time to reflect on the year that is quickly coming to a close and evaluate some communication battles you’ve won, as well as losses you may have suffered, both business and personal?
Our book ‘Revolutionary Conversations: The Tools You Need for the Success You Want‘ was developed over the course of 25 years by business re-engineering specialist Mark Fowler and refined with human resources professional Noal McDonald and public relations authority and NGO leader Barbara Gaughen-Muller, the S.H.A.R.E™ Tools are 5 simple, flexible pathways that lead to productive, constructive conversations by creating an exceptional connection between two or more people. We want to share true stories of hope, inspiration, and possibility that were made possible by using the S.H.A.R.E™ Tools.
The Tools are as follows:
- STOP the conversation for clarity
- HELP develop an environment for support and teamwork
- ASK questions for better understanding
- RISK presenting new ideas and options
- EXPLORE ways to deliver collaborative results
Now that you know what the Tools are, these stories from Lynn Kitchen and Denise Griffitts will make sense.
Lynn Kitchen
Lynn Kitchen is the Executive Producer of the World’s Greatest Motivators and CEO of DreamSculpt, which is a publishing, media and consultancy firm with an integrated model that incorporates book brand development, author platform development, media production, publishing, and literary representation. In a recent interview on our POWER OF PEACE™ podcast. Lynn had received the book 10 days before this interview and shared that the book had changed her life in just 10 days. She told us, “I’ve been studying it, underlining it, outlining it. Even the table of contents is life-changing”. In fact, she had used the Tools that morning when her publishing partner called her at 8am with what she termed a ‘challenge’, one that most of us would probably view as a small crisis. With the book in hand, she went immediately to Tool #2 which is HELP. Rather than get caught up in the challenge, instead asked him to HELP her understand what the issue was. Then she went from there to ASK, where she was able to ask questions that would help both of them work through the issues. Lynn’s view is that the TOOLS are heart-centered and, therefore, they feel completely natural to her.
Transform difficult conversations easily in 5 simple steps, a must-have!
I keep this book on my desk at the office and refer to it often, especially before an important phone call or board meeting where I desire a true higher awareness of how to create a conversation that connects and is effective, expansive and rewarding. The tools in the book are simple yet powerful. They WORK! I recommend this book absolutely!
~ Lynn Kitchen, Executive Producer the World’s Greatest Motivators
Denise Griffitts
Denise Griffitts is the owner of a small digital agency as well as the host of an international business podcast called Your Partner In Success Radio. Denise recently wrote a blog post called ‘Recommended Book: Revolutionary Conversations: The Tools You Need for the Success You Want‘ about her more personal experience. While Denise had already written an Amazon review (see below) it was written with podcast hosts in mind. Her blog was much more personal.
“This is what I have to say about Revolutionary Conversations:
I wrote an Amazon review for the book in January of this year – see it below – and while it was heartfelt it was about podcasting. To be very frank, this is one of those rare books that almost never makes it back to the bookcase in my office. I use the S.H.A.R.E.™ Tools so often that the book pretty much lives on my desk. And if you knew what a tidy freak I am you would understand that leaving anything sitting around is anathema to me. Growing up in a large and very boisterous family my mother taught us never to leave a room without something in our hands to be returned to whence it came. It was literally the only way to keep rooms tidy and keep us relatively sane. And thinking of the lessons learned from my mother led me to tell you how much the lessons learned in this book really saved my mom’s life and helped her children help her during her final days.
Mom passed away this past July. She had lived quite happily in her apartment and didn’t require assistance other than a part-time housekeeper until she fell and broke her femur. The break and the resulting uncovered health issues ensured that she was never going to be able to return to her home and live alone. When I tell you she was unhappy, it is the understatement of the year.
Mom was in the hospital for close to three months as she recovered and gained back a bit of her mobility and energy. As she lived 3 hours from my siblings and over 2,000 miles from me, it was determined that if, and when she was released from the rehab hospital, my sister would undertake to convert a small building in her home that would become a small bed-sit for mom. It was a herculean effort but was completed in time for mom to move in. When my incredibly strong-minded sister says that something will get done, it gets done! For a short time, all was well, but there came a point where my mom became quite hostile towards her situation to the point that my normally calm, cool, collected, and imminently logical sister was seriously considering moving her to an assisted living facility, which would have no doubt completely broken Mom’s will to live. I learned later that this kind of anger/hostility can be quite common in otherwise perfectly lovely people as they get older and begin the struggle to deal with their own diminished capacities, the physical deterioration and the indignities this often brings about.
This is where the S.H.A.R.E.™ Tools came into play. It was either find a way to get Mom to share with me what was really going on in her mind and then pave a way for her and my siblings to work it out or watch her go where she really did not want to go. And you need to know that I told both my sister and my mother that I was going to record the call so nothing got lost in the emotional fog. I am so glad I did!”
No matter if you are leading a business team or building a podcast audience, Revolutionary Conversations™ and the S.H.A.R.E.™ Tools helps you communicate with thoughtfulness and ease. Quote from the book: “The Tools are also compatible with other communication and conversational approaches. They don’t compete. If you’re already a good listener, you’ll become a better listener. If you’re a good conversationalist, you’ll add power and versatility to your existing skills.” As a podcast host I find this a very important component to your broadcasting success and longevity. ~ Denise Griffitts, Podcast Host Your Partner In Success Radio
We would love to hear about your experiences with this book and the Tools! Please leave a comment here on this post, on the review page, or email us directly at noal@revolutionaryconversations.net. Thank you!