Anyways, Nancy defines conversation as: the interaction that occurs when each person is actively working to understand the meaning the other is trying to convey.
Food for thought there - not the act of exchanging information; not the act of soliciting information; but the act of understanding the meaning being conveyed. The whole nature of conversation changes when the understanding of meaning becomes the core focus.
My world is filled with analytic people, and it seems that I am often being challenged - "what do you mean..." And my response is often "listen to what I mean, not to what I am saying". Obviously there is work to be done on both sides. Active listening, clarity of expression, time to explore and not just listen but really hear. Being present. None of which is easy as we fly from activity to activity and topic to topic. Real conversation takes time, focus, and concentration. Not things which are readily available in a multi-tasking world.
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