Ice Breakers

When designing your ice breaker, think about the "ice" that needs to be broken.

• If you are bringing together like-minded people, the "ice" may simply reflect the fact that people have not yet met.
• If you are bringing together people of different backgrounds, cult...

It means finding common ground with the person you're talking to and showing that you understand their point of view. When you talk about things that the other person is interested in, they're more likely to be engaged in the conversation and to feel like you're on their side.

If you decide not to follow someone's advice, there is no better way to inform them than with compassionate directness.

Take a moment to talk with your colleague about why you decided to pursue another path, or rely on other information. Be straightforward in your conversation, but b...