Have you ever had a What Matters conversation?

Have you ever had a “What Matters” Conversation? This simple yet rich tool was introduced to me during a business leadership training program.

I began to use it and then stayed on in the program as a TA and watched six different Cohort groups put it to the test to make deeper connections with colleagues, friends, and family.

The stories people shared about using the What Matters conversation and how it shifted mindsets and agendas and helped solve some challenging problems were across the board. One guy added an extraordinary attorney to his team when he learned what she wanted and was able to make that happen. 

Another guy and his wife had a life-changing conversation with their autistic son, where they listened to his reasoning about which high school he wanted to attend and why. It was the same school they had chosen for him but were hesitant to decide for him. 

When I first discovered the IHI Framework for Improving Joy in Work and saw that it included the What Matters conversation as a critical strategy for addressing burnout within the healthcare industry, I was curious about how they recommended implementing it. 

It is the first of four steps for leaders to begin to listen and learn in effective and meaningful conversations as they identify what steps to take to rediscover more joy in work.

Here’s how they recommend using the What Matters conversation.

Ask the question. “What matters to you in daily work?”

Then listen, pause, and see what the first response is. Then give space and see if further reflections emerge. 

There may be some silence, and that’s okay. You can practice curiosity and go beyond just hearing their answer to seeking to understand. 

The purpose of the inquiry is not to try and fix everything now. Sometimes this desire to fix, or the fear of not being able to immediately fix a problem expressed, can be a barrier to even having the conversation. 

The conversation's purpose is to better understand what matters more deeply.  From there, leaders will have a better idea to develop a road map to deconstruct the things that get in the way of what matters and construct new strategies to find more joy in work. 

Feel free to share with them what matters to you. The IHI framework emphasizes that “this conversation work is done with colleagues and team members—not to or for them.” 

I’d love to hear about your What Matters conversations.