LEADERSHIP
Powerful
In his closing keynote at April’s EuRA Conference, motivational speaker Stuart Knight shared his top tips for engaging in those powerful conversations that will lead to the next contract, the next recruit, and the confidence to ask for the things you need to make your business grow. Fiona Murchie was there.
conversations can help build global business
I
have twice in the last year had the joy of hearing Stuart Knight address a global mobility audience, at the Canadian Employee Relocation Council’s conference
in Montreal and at the European Relocation Association’s (EuRA) conference in Malta. On both occasions, it struck me how relevant his concept of powerful conversations is to the global mobility marketplace. As soon as Stuart Knight strides onto the stage, you
can see he is a driven person: he grabs your attention and is bounding with energy. He is also really funny. But that wasn’t always the case. Mr Knight relates a time when he was suffering from depression – not a great place to be when you are a motivational speaker. By having the courage to connect honestly with a client
who turned out to have faced similar challenges, he built on that relationship and turned his life and his business around. Stuart Knight’s premise is that one conversation can
literally change your life. His book You Should Have Asked: The Art of Powerful Conversation describes four conversations for success, because he believes people have lost the art of meaningful conversation. Addressing EuRA delegates, he posed the question: has
technology taken your voice? “We email instead of talking, and leave messages instead of creating meaningful conversations. Technology not only allows us to hide from each other, but also conditions us to talk in soundbites. It is fear that stops us from achieving the potential of our lives, and, when it comes
to creating powerful conversations, it isn’t any different. “Think about what you need and invariably you will find
that the people around you have the answers. By asking good questions, they will lead you to the things you are looking for. The secret is all about truly connecting with people.” Questioning is the quickest way to get to the core of
who a person truly is, Stuart Knight believes. It is about “making questions on the answers”, and there is a rhythm to the whole dialogue, like a dance. “Give yourself some time,” he advises, “and you’ll be
amazed at the kinds of thing you discover from that person. Why? Because people are fascinating! We are so much more exciting than our jobs, our homes, our cities. We are so much more exciting than what others see on the surface … Most successful people are fascinated by the people they do business with.” So the next time you are visiting an exhibition stand,
networking at a conference, or sharing a coffee with a client or a colleague, try taking a conversational risk and asking a creative question, as Stuart Knight recommends – perhaps about a life decision, so that you can understand better what motivates and drives them to do what they do. People love telling their story, so ask them the question
‘why?’. You may be surprised where it takes you. Stuart Knight’s parting shot: “You have to be your own
cheerleader, because everyone else is too busy. Choose to have a powerful conversation with yourself.”
28 | Re:locate | Summer 2016
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