Last week, our popular World Trader Conversations series returned, with the second installment attended by a full house of 30 World Traders and guests, including one member just flown in from the USA.
The discussion focused on ‘Mastering the Art of Uncomfortable Conversation’, specifically around money, power and politics, with facilitation by World Traders, Dr. Amina Aitsi-Selmi and Nick Mayhew.
During a 2-hour working session, they led the group through a series of questions and distinctions to help go beneath small talk, and into deeper exchanges that played with assumptions. Participants explored questions such as “What makes you unoffendable (vs. polite)?” and “How do you create shared reality (vs premature consensus)?”
The latest in the World Trader Conversations series was held at Quilter Cheviot Investments opposite St. Paul’s Cathedral, and opened by Master Michael Shapiro and Caroline Langley, Head of the Climate Asset Fund at Quilter Cheviot. Both encouraged an examination of the global challenges, while looking beyond them into positive solutions that may defy personal assumptions and expectations.
Participants shared many insights that spoke to the future of World Trade, including harnessing similarities in what may appear to be cultural differences (the similarity in Japanese and British emotional reserve was mentioned); the universal need to be understood and respected as an individual; and the delicate balance between respect and honesty in order to have more meaningful conversations.
The open approach to discomfort allowed for differences in perspective to be a source of connection – rather than conflict. And the charged topics of money, power and politics became a potential source of energy and goodwill.
This was another hugely enjoyable and ideas-provoking seminar.
Thank you to our hosts, Quilter Cheviot, and well done to the World Trader organisers! We hope to continue this new series of World Trader interactive discussions.
With thanks to Prospective Journeyman, Rob Pearson for his contribution to the event summary.
