Conversations Worth Having: How to Fuel Meaningful Engagement

This week we’re excited to launch the #1 New Release in Amazon’s Communication & Social Skills category, a book that will help you learn how to effectively and consistently use your conversations and inquiries to help people, organizations, and communities flourish.

Our conversations lie at the core of how we interact with each other. They can be critical and destructive, or they can be generative and productive. But how can you guarantee you will avoid the first and accomplish the second?

Conversations Worth Having

Conversations are at the heart of everything we do. They are key to effective leadership, high performing teams, and strong relationships. We all know that they influence us, but we rarely stop to think about how much they affect our well-being and our ability to thrive. Our conversations directly influence our present moment and possible futures.

Using real life stories, this book teaches you two simple practices for creating conversations worth having and shares five principles to help everyone communicate better and flourish in all areas of their lives.

The practices and principles originate from the work of David Cooperrider on Appreciative Inquiry, one of the most widely used approaches for fostering positive change in organizations and communities. The two practices — positive framing and asking generative questions — can to turn any conversation into one worth having. Through real-life stories, you will discover how people are using Appreciative Inquiry and these practices at work, in communities, and in their personal lives. You will learn to use appreciative inquiry-based conversations to help you:

• Discover the best in people, organizations, and the world
• Value all voices and inspire generativity, creativity, and possibilities thinking
• Challenge the status quo and open a world of opportunity
• Fuel productive and meaningful engagement
• Inspire new options for better living
• Help everyone communicate better and flourish in all areas of their lives

Meet the Authors

Jackie Stavros is Professor at College of Management, Lawrence Technological University, Appreciative Inquiry Strategic Advisor at Flourishing Leadership Institute, and Associate at Taos Institute. She works across all sectors and in a variety of industries in leadership development, strategic planning, organization development, and change using Appreciative Inquiry and SOAR. She has presented her research and work “in over 25 countries.

Cheri Torres is a Partner at Innovation Partners International, a Senior Consultant at NextMove.is, and an Associate at the Taos Institute. She works with organizations in every sector to support effective leadership and team excellence. She facilitates AI Summits for strategic planning and has trained thousands of trainers and teachers in the use and practice of Appreciative Inquiry and Appreciative Facilitation.

Jackie and Cheri have been friends, colleagues, and co-authors since 2004, when they were brought together by a passion for the positive effect Appreciative Inquiry was having on their lives and their clients. They co-authored their first book, Dynamic Relationships: Unleashing the Power of Appreciative Inquiry in Daily Living, in 2005; and have since delivered workshops, keynote addresses, and webinars to thousands of people around the world.

Praise from Readers Like You

“This book is a gem. I’m already using it to transform the conversations I have with clients, my family and myself. It provides an accessible framework and informative examples. Whether or not you’re familiar with Appreciative Inquiry, you’ll come away with tools that you can use immediately, as well as inspiration for habits that will support conversations worth having.”
— Nancy Davis, 5-star Amazon review

“The book has a ton of practical components that allow you to better understand the concepts and put them to work right away. When I read books like this, for me, having practical tips and resources as well as examples helps me to internalize the concepts. I love being able to see right away how I can use the information, and this book definitely allowed me to do just that!”
— Dad of Divas, 5-star Amazon review

“This book is for everyone, from the manager striving to lead a team more effectively, to the parent who is trying to cultivate better conversations with their children. With real-life, practical examples, Stavros and Torres help illustrate the simple, yet powerful truth of how appreciation combined with inquiry can enhance relationships and lead to better performance in organizations.”
— Lindsey Godwin, 5-star Amazon review

“This book is so well organized and is loaded with a nice blend of motivation/inspiration to ask more powerful questions AND the practical tools to make it happen. If you get through the first chapter or two and aren’t a better leader and human being afterwards, you might have been reading with your eyes closed.”
— We and Me, Inc., 5-star Amazon review

“This is a must read for leaders of all kinds, leaders of organizations large and small, communities and families. If you could only read one book to improve your skill as a leader, this is the one!”
— Scot L, 5-star Amazon review

Learn More

• Visit the website to learn more about the book and download a free excerpt.
• Buy a copy of the book for yourself or share your review of it on Amazon.
• Join the webinar on June 5 to learn more about powerful conversations.