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What is a personal cnversation?

A personal conversation is a meaningful discussion that takes place between a manager and an employee, held privately to allow the employee to raise various issues related to their life cycles, whether in the context of work or in their private life.

Such conversations allow for deepening familiarity, building connections and trust between the manager and the employee, with emphasis on active listening on the part of the manager.

It is important that the employee arrives prepared for the conversation and understands its objectives, structure, and also that they have prior familiarity with the cards.

​The 2talk model is a recommended structure for managing relationships in organization.

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Recommended structure:

2talk personal conversation. 

Opening the conversation:

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• The manager begins – by coordinating expectations and explaining the essence of the conversation, its structure, and objectives. For instance, “Today's conversation is an open discussion, and I'm here mainly to listen to you. It's important for me to get to know you a little better and hear from you about the things you deal with, whether at home or at work”.

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• The manager invites the employee to select cards silently and alone, and to share.

**At this point, when the cards are spread out on the table, it is recommended to leave the employee alone quietly with the cards for a few minutes, and go make coffee for both of you.

 

Body of the conversation:

• The employee – shows the cards he has selected one by one and expresses themselves, shares, talks about themselves following the selected card.

• The manager – listens, shows interest, asks more questions, expresses interest and empathy.

• Later on in the conversation, sometimes the manager can also select cards that interest them to ask the employee. However, it is important to choose cards that are not intrusive or too private and may make the employee feel uncomfortable.

If issues for further handling arise, it is essential for the manager to make a note to themselves.

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Which cards are relevant to the conversation?

​• All cards aside from the "Feedback" category (intended for the manager in a feedback conversation) are relevant.

• In an administrative / organizational decision, it is possible to focus on one category or refer to several selected categories.

•If some cards are less relevant to a particular conversation or when there is a need to focus on certain areas, the cards can be pre-filtered.

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Highlights for the conversation:

• Aids - 2talk card kit.

• The cards are placed "open" on the table, ehich means the employee sees the questions and chooses from them.

• There is no limit to the number of cards that the employee can choose.

•The recommended category for the beginning of the conversation is first card from "This is me" (blue).

• The employee speaks while the manager asks, responds, and relates to the employee's sharing. 

•There is an emphasis on a dialogue rather than a monologue by either party.

 • 70/30 ratio, whereas the manager listens in 70% of the conversation.

• The conversation should last for 45-60 minutes, in private and without external interferences.

• The conversation is not a "work meeting". It is essential to focus on the employee and their life, rather than the tasks at hand.

If you want to learn more about managing personal conversations or on workshops for managers, including the 2talk conversations as a managerial tool, feel free to contact us!

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