#42: Conversations

«A good conversation is as good as a holiday.» Spot on. So what is the equivalent of a bad conversation then?

Werner Puchert, a good friend of mine and a very talented experience design professional, has been running his daily podcast for more than a year. Yesterday, he spoke about the value of conversations and how one of his listeners compared a good conversation to a holiday.

I couldn’t agree more. Some of the conversations I remember fondly undoubtedly managed to pull me into a different world. The impossible suddenly seemed possible and tangible. I would have either looked at the world differently or would have seen something I hadn’t noticed before. New perspectives. New ideas. Like a breeze of fresh air. Often comparable to a multi-sensory experience.

Reflecting on this during these challenging times, I would be more than willing to trade some of my holiday projects for conversations I would love to have.

So what is the other side of the coin? What does a bad conversation feel like? Having experienced a few of those recently, I am well positioned to give it a try:

«A bad conversation is as bad as a cold water shock.»

If you have ever experienced the feeling of diving into ice cold water, then you certainly remember your physical reaction to the cold. It is called hydrocution and can actually be fatal. Your blood pressure goes up and you start to gasp. Your mind is no longer in control as your body takes over. All you want is to get out of the cold back into the comfortable warmth.

That was exactly what it felt like sitting in those conversations, not feeling good about them, physically reacting to them and desperate to get out.

I call myself lucky, though. Why?

My body still sends me signals I can rely on. I am grateful for those «early warning signs». How I react to the experience as a whole is entirely up to me once I have overcome the initial shock. It puts me back into control.

That is also what a holiday and hydrocution have in common.

They don’t last forever.

Hat tip to Werner for being a continuous source of inspiration.