Authentic Conversations: Moving from Manipulation to Truth and Commitment

Authentic Conversations takes a radical new look at the potentially transformational role of workplace conversations. Through over twenty-five years of work as organizational consultants, Maren and James Showkier have discovered that conversation has the power to create, sustain or change organizational culture. But much of the time the kind of organizational culture these conversations sustain is one that stymies growth and erodes commitment. The problem is an organizational culture based on a kind of parent-child model, with leaders treating employees as children who needed caretaking and protecting The Showkeirs advocate instead authentic conversations that are based on an adult-adult model. In these conversations participants tell the truth, let go of the illusion of control, and view each other as in charge of their own motivation. The result is a conversation revolution that creates greater commitment, real accountability for results, and improved organizational performance.

"Authentic Conversations" takes a radical new look at the potentially transformational role of workplace conversations. The authors illustrate how conversation has the power to create, sustain, or change organizational culture.