Teach Me
By Tana M. Mann Easton, Lead Efficiency Engineer
We’re in the thick of holiday season, which for many of us tends to be a time when we’re around a lot of people…perhaps more than normal. Especially for those of us who are introverts, all those extra people and conversations can seem overwhelming. But I heard a reframing of conversations once that helped me embrace interactions with others more.
Greg McKeown interviewed educator and improv expert Clay Drinko a few years ago. During the interview, Clay talked about a game that he plays in his head when he’s talking to people. The game is called Teach Me Sensei. When communicating with others, he imagines that whoever he is talking to is really wise. So he’s really listening for a nugget of wisdom in what they’re saying that is powerful and interesting. He says that normally when he’s talking to people, he’s making assumptions in his head like he's not going to learn anything or small talk is boring. And if he’s thinking that, then it’s exactly what he’s going to get out of the conversation. But if he focuses on what is amazing in the conversation, he can always find something.
I’ve had the same experience when I focus on listening to people as if they have wisdom to impart. I’ve never met a person that doesn’t have insights to share…even and especially children. No one walks the same path through life as I do, so everyone else has alternate thoughts and experiences that I can learn from. And in my head, when I’m interacting with others, I’m opening my ears and experiencing them through a lens of reverence for the lessons they have picked up in this life. Some people teach me about jobs I’ve never worked, others instruct me on places I’ve never visited…there is literally no end to the nuggets of wisdom that lie in each of us. I don’t think I’ve had a boring conversation since adopting this mindset. So if you’re not experiencing any exchange in value during your holiday conversations, try playing the Teach Me Sensei game in your mind to see if it opens up possibilities for you as it has for me.
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Sincerely Yours,
Focus to Evolve Team