For Immediate Release

Talk to Each Other—Before a Crisis Erupts

(Waltham, Massachusetts) “You say yes, I say no. You say stop, I say go.” These familiar Beatles’ lyrics seem to accurately reflect the kinds of conversations most of encounter each day—at work, in our families, in the grocery store. Are we all that disagreeable? Or is that we just don’t know how to talk to each other in ways that allow us to get along and accomplish our common goals?

“Most people don’t look beyond their own reality to inquire into what others think for a view of the greater whole,” says David Hutchens, author of Listening to the Volcano: Conversation That Open Our Minds to New Possibilities (Pegasus Communications, 2005). “Typically, only when there’s a dire threat, like an erupting volcano, do we challenge ourselves to work together to create something new. But engaging in meaningful conversation on a regular basis not only helps us avoid crises, it enables collaboration and positive action in the workplace and beyond.”

What does meaningful conversation involve? First, an understanding that how we communicate is at least as important as what we have to say. When we talk, we need to be intentional about how we participate in the conversation. This means being aware that our personal beliefs influence what we say and how we listen—and being open to the possibility that our own thinking represents an incomplete view of the world. Meaningful conversation also means making sure that we ask questions of others to get information at least as much as we advocate our own view or agenda.

In other words, we need to step into a “learning mode” when we talk to each other. If we don’t, we’ll keep getting further apart and be unable to solve the big problems that confront us. If we do talk more productively, we create the possibility for our collective intelligence to emerge and for us to transform our environment, wherever we are.

“Humor to Bypass Defensiveness”

In Listening to the Volcano, rumblings from a long-dormant volcano provoke a crisis in the village of Smoldering Pines. Desperate to escape the impending flow of molten lava, the inhabitants meet to create a plan—and soon are at each other’s throats. But led by Milo, a group of neighbors discovers a new way of talking and listening that leads to a surprising outcome.

Employing sly humor, zany illustrations, and the license of an imaginary world, this entertaining and provocative fable enables organizations and groups struggling with sensitive issues to bypass defensiveness, engage in thoughtful inquiry, and open people’s minds to innovative ideas. With its engaging use of metaphor and detailed discussion guide, the book is a must-have resource for managers interested in sparking generative thinking, improving decision-making, and creating effective action.

There is a common perception that people are profoundly divided over the important issues that confront us. But despite the heightened rhetoric, we may not be as far apart as it appears on the surface. By finding new ways of expressing our views, we can work more effectively together to produce outstanding results.

About the Book:

Listening to the Volcano: Conversations That Open Our Minds to New Possibilities by David Hutchens, illustrated by Bobby Gombert (Pegasus Communications, 2005; ISBN: 1-883823-62-5; $19.95 with volume discounts available). To order, visit www.pegasuscom.com.