Before you say a word: How your internal state shapes your leadership conversations.

Before you say a word: How your internal state shapes your leadership conversations.

Most leaders we work with are well-prepared for the conversations they have at work. They know what they want to cover, they have thought about the other person, they are clear on what a good outcome looks like. What tends to get much less attention is the state they are actually in when they sit down. Whether they are settled, or still processing something from earlier. Present, or half-elsewhere.

In our programmes, leaders consistently find that noticing this, and doing something about it, makes a real difference to the quality of what follows. This doesn't have to be complicated, often five minutes of quiet, or a short walk, or simply choosing not to go straight from one demanding meeting into the next is enough.

In this informal lunchtime conversation, Helen and Andrea will explore with Helen Jones Head of Visitor Services at Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and Molly Branham Communications Executive at Hey Me, why internal state matters for leadership conversations, what tends to get in the way of noticing it, and some straightforward things that leaders can try.