Better Conversation

I believe that what we need in twenty-first Century is to improve "conversation" into "conversation".

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This is a time when Google and MSN can help to smooth the world. This is a time when even old friends meet.

I have no intention of imitating the famous opening remarks in the Shuangcheng book. What I want to say is that we are in an era of seemingly barrier free but utilitarian social interaction.

Just as we are gradually getting used to wearing masks to attend social banquet and doing business communication that we think is very efficient, Theodore Zeldin, a veteran Oxford scholar, cautioned us to abandon this foolish way of doing things.

He launched a global campaign called Muse Dinner, which aims to create an open, trusted and self reflective communication environment to encourage people to unmask social masks and start effective communication with Mousika.

In March 2007, the business school reporter contacted the famous Oxford venture capitalist Michael Moritz, who was known as the "scholar of Hong Kong" who had influenced his life.

Business School: I wonder how a history and philosophy professor is so concerned about human conversation.

Theodore: I have been committed to exploring the micro level of human communication, emotion and desire.

A recent survey by the American Business Academy Association shows that MBA graduates believe that the ability to communicate effectively with others is the most useful skill in their career, but only 6% of business schools are poor at cultivating this kind of ability.

I hope I can make up for this shortcoming.

Nowadays, more and more people are involved in the service industry and management. They spend most of their time on speaking.

Leaders have never been so eager to know that their employees and customers are fresh individuals instead of a set of templates, so CEO has to talk with them instead of simply giving orders.

In personal life, the silence between men and women, between parents and children can also be replaced by the pursuit of friendship based on intimate conversation.

For two strangers, the only way to generate trust is based on conversation.

Conversation plays a vital role in personal life and career. In business activities, it is just as important as capital, and it can achieve some benefits that money can not buy.

As you can see, some companies have realized that meeting more often is not necessary - it will only waste time - instead of the new way of communication.

New conversation is necessary for expressing our wide hopes.

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Business School: however, not everyone is good at conversation.

If we think that we are not omnipotent, we need to share some experiences with others and change into the most important way of communication, the most important change and perfection.

One of the ways to make the world, who are born quiet, introverted and shy, can they play a role?

Theodore: I don't think you have to be eloquent enough to be very good.

My answer is that history has proved that once ordinary people have the courage to speak, they can speak amazing and interesting words.

Courage is the most important thing.

My greatest achievement in history is to discover that there are so many ordinary people who think they are not brave. They have done so much courage when they have forgotten to get rid of cowardice and hesitation.

Since those powerful people are not willing to change their minds, let us ordinary people try to use our brains and tongues to do something.

Business School: there is a new definition of "conversation" here, right?

Theodore: conversation seems to me to be a spiritual gathering with different thinking and habits.

Once the mind is touched, people will not only exchange information, but also pform information, pform information, and get different meanings from information.

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Conversations in daily life rarely involve such big questions as generosity, giving and understanding. But is there a new language that allows us to pcend "the weather today, ha ha ha" and help us express respect and care for others? The development of technology has made life more full of stress and confusion.

Is there a new mode of conversation that encourages us to realize that we have the power and possibility of choice? There is no dialogue between most religions. Is there any way that they can sit at least in a mild and considerate way?

The old style conversation is like a religious ritual. Everyone is very polite on the surface. They say something that they both like to hear.

Conversely, the new conversation stimulates innovation, improvisation and novelty, for example, participants will share more intimate interests in their personalities.

It encourages you to think and say something that you never dare show before. This is a kind of adhesive suitable for long-term communication.

Career managers tend to convey information rather than talk. Sometimes they fall into a social misunderstanding of information exchange.

Business School: what kind of business communication do you think is more effective?

Theodore: business communication is merely an exchange of information.

So I am more willing to introduce an advanced concept: business conversation.

We have introduced Chinese and Western business people in Mousika's activities in Beijing.

The purpose of such business talks is to establish harmonious relations and trust between them.

It recognizes that business is primarily human business, and everyone is unique. Inevitably, there are differences and individual experiences and beliefs.

Conversation allows you to understand your partner's beliefs, motives and difficulties.

I designed a program that broadens the scope of discussion topics, expands imagination, and increases knowledge that is beyond the narrow scope of specific business you are engaged in.

Business innovation comes from many different perspectives and then knows how to combine them.

If Chinese and western entrepreneurs are aware of the generally accepted views of individuals and history, business talks between them will be very effective.

Business School: in many cases, managers are accustomed to wearing masks or even "believe" in front of their subordinates or clients.

Leadership is the embodiment of camouflage art.

How do you sell your Mousika concept to them?

Theodore: senior managers are afraid of losing prestige because of their weaknesses and shortcomings.

Yes, I am not wrong. Leaders sometimes fear subordinates.

This is not right. There is no need to be afraid of nothing.

Now many managers are willing to accept Mousika's concept because they really feel such a good experience.

By using the Mousika menu of conversation, they watched their employees get to know each other very well. They are glad that ordinary colleagues, who are not seeking any other communication, are building a more harmonious relationship between human qualities and individual talents.

This means that they can cooperate better in future work and help each other when problems arise.

So the senior managers began to be willing to participate in the conversation in person, experiment on their own, and are very happy to observe their employees in a new perspective.

The success of business depends on understanding others, which is promoted by Mousika's activities.