Framework for a Business Conversation

Earlier this year, the company I work for had its employees enroll in a class which they considered “Client Delight Training”. In this training, we learned how to appropriately frame a conversation with clients we may come in contact with as well as with other coworkers within the company. We may not realize it, but in today’s society, there are so many of us that have never really been taught the “proper” way to hold a conversation, especially in a professional manner. While some may not consider this a proper way to converse, in the business world, these steps will leave a lasting impression with the person (or people) that you are having a conversation with.

Before even officially beginning the conversation, be it in person, over the phone or via email, an important step is to first prepare for it. What does that mean? Plan out the message you want to convey, without it being too confusing for the person you will be communicating with. A good idea may actually be writing down some bullet points that are easy to understand and are vital to the point you want to get across.

Once you’ve gotten the preparation completed and you’re ready to start the conversation (again, this is face to face, email or over the phone) the second step would be the opening. During this step, you want to make sure you first greet the person(s) you are speaking to and also introduce yourself. Next, you want to make sure you inform WHY you are reaching out. This should include some sort of affirmation as to why the conversation should be held and then follow up with a time check, making sure they are currently available to have the conversation (the time check would mostly be used if you are face to face or making a phone call). Also during the opening phase, you want to make sure you build rapport with that person. Building rapport can sometimes be difficult. One suggestion I would make would be instead of asking a question like “How are you doing today?” say something like “I hope your day is going well.” If you do decide to ask a question, be prepared for anything. The person may be having a bad day and just may decide to take the time to inform you exactly how their day is going, since you asked.

Next, the dialogue typically takes place. During this time, you’re going to make sure you understand clearly what the other person may need or want as well as any concerns they may have, if any. If it is an urgent request from or for a co-worker, you want to make sure to include the request you may have or explain the reason why their request may have to be slightly pushed off. If it is one that you may have, also include how the request at hand, once completed with assistance, will be beneficial for not only yourself but also the person helping. Once all of that has been put on the table, you’ll want to make sure the other person/people understand and all are in agreement with what has been discussed during the dialogue.

Finally, when all of the prior steps have been completed, it’s time to wrap up the conversation. This is known as the closing. During this part, you should summarize what agreements were made and discussed. This should include making sure it’s clear who will be doing what and discuss what steps will be next to get the task at hand completed within the timeframe you all are working with. If need be, reinforce the commitment that has been made by the other person/people that are involved; doing this will let them know that you are holding them accountable for withholding their end of the task at hand. The most important piece of the closing is simply thanking the people that are going to be assisting you. This could honestly make or break the entire conversation and plans that have been discussed. Think about it, when you do something for someone that is out of your way and they show no type of gratitude, how does it make you feel?

If time permits, there should be a follow up within 24-48 hours to deliver the commitments that had been discussed. If the task is one that is lengthy, you should make sure to be proactive and reach out as needed and during this time, continue to build a positive work relationship with your co-worker.

So as a recap, the framework for a business conversation should be as follows:

• Prepare
• Open
• Engage in Dialogue
• Close
• Follow-up (if necessary)

I hope you will be able to use these bullet points for having not only business conversations but they may also be applied to personal conversations as well.

-LM