Technique 1.234      Assess the Current vs Desired Workplace Conversations

Introduction

To help leaders and employees:

• identify the dominant conversations happening now in the workplace
• identify the conversations needed to support the change agenda
• bridge the gap through intentional communication and behaviour shifts

The core insight:

Every organisation has a set of recurring conversations that shape culture; by auditing them, you reveal the culture you actually have.

 Step-by-Step Process (45–60 mins)

1.  Individual Reflection (5–10 mins)

Ask participants to write down answers to 2 questions:

1.1 Current Conversations
“What do people most often talk about around here?”
(e.g., problems, deadlines, blame, compliance, customers, risk, innovation, etc)

1.2. Desired Conversations
“What conversations would support who we are becoming?”
(e.g., collaboration, empowerment, growth, well-being, learning, innovation, etc)

NB Encourage honest and specific examples — both formal and informal.

2.  Small Group Mapping (15–20 mins)

Groups place their identified conversations on a 2-column flipchart:

Then discuss:

• Which current conversations help the change?
• Which hinder or contradict the change?
• Which desired conversations are missing entirely?

This is where cultural misalignments become visible.

3.  Pattern Analysis (10–15 mins)

Facilitator prompts reflection:

✅ Which column is longer and more powerful today?
✅ Are current conversations fear-based or opportunity-based?
✅ Do desired conversations reflect organisational strategy and values?
✅ What is one critical conversation we must shift first?

Groups choose their top 3 conversations that must change.

4. Action Planning (10–15 mins)

For each priority conversation, groups define:

Participants commit to embedding these in:

• team meetings
• coaching/development conversations
• storytelling and recognition
• decision-making language
• informal chats, etc

This activity:

• reveals the culture beneath the surface
• builds collective ownership of cultural change
• gives leaders specific language shifts to role-model
• aligns communication with strategy
• moves from talking about change → changing the talk

Change ‘sticks’ when the conversation that drives culture changes.

Workshop Deliverables

Participants walk away with:

• informal chats, etc
• A visual snapshot of culture today vs. aspirational culture
• Three intentional conversation shifts to implement immediately
• Clear roles and triggers to sustain the change

(main source: Lachlan Brown, 2025a)