Catalytic Conversations – embracing tough conversations at work

June 20th 2025 | 1 min | Capability

If we want to spark change, we must invest in bigger conversations.

Transactional conversations now consume us. And the irony is that everything takes longer. We’re falling into communication patterns that don’t encourage teams to have much-needed bigger conversations such as how to eliminate silos or resolve competing priorities. Poor communication creates more work.

That’s why we wrote The Catalytic Conversations Toolkit, a practical framework to strengthen conversational skills.

It outlines how to navigate six different types of Catalytic Conversations that can ignite shared thinking, spark insight, and create forward momentum.

If your natural tendency is to turn away from a bigger conversation, it can help you find the confidence to prepare for a conversation you’d like to have.

You can download the toolkit at HR Zone.

The series also includes 2 shorter papers: The seven costs of avoiding tough conversations and The QUIET Listening Framework

“The biggest thing you should take away from Google Aristotle is that how teams work matters more than who is on them.

You can take a team of average performers, and if you teach them to interact in the right way, they’ll do things no superstar could ever accomplish.

Lazlo Block, Former head of the People Operations at Google, 2015

The most important audience that you need to ignite is your internal culture. Invest here, then go external.

Duke Stump, Former CMO NIKE, Seventh Generation, Lululemon

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