One of the reasons I love going to TED is the promise--always fulfilled--of amazing conversations. Everywhere I turn, no matter who sits down next to me, who shares the bus, who is in a food line in front of me...I can count on their being fascinating. On their doing something interesting with their lives. The odds are high that we will have, even if only briefly, a scintillating exchange of words.
Can you say that about conversations in your company? At home? With your friends? How can we set up our lives so our conversations will kick start innovative thinking...even if it's about how to approach taking out the garbage, recycling, whatever...in a new way? Or of changing meetings at the office so they are exchanges that spark new approaches to work rather than dull plodding exercises in boredom?
Today I read the TED material on the web that describes how people are selected to attend TED. It's clearly a tough task. So many interesting people; so little space. As I read it, it seemed to be a template of sorts for the way we should pick the people we work with. Read it and tell me what you think. Do you select the people with whom you spend a lot of time with such care? Should you?
Author of I is for Intercourse: The ABC's of Conversation, Susan Bird is the visionary behind Wf360, and a sought-after speaker around the world for her views on leadership, the strategic importance of conversation, entrepreneurship, and the role of women business leaders.
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