The first questions in a Talent Catalyst Conversation are “What are your hopes for your talent?” and “Why are they important to you?” These questions serve as the beginning of an incredibly useful exercise.
However, there is another dimension behind the “Hope” questions worth paying attention to by both the Talent Catalyst asking the questions and the Talent Hero responding to them. It’s the dimension of emotions. You can think of the words someone says as the melody of a song. The emotions are like the rhythm. Both contribute powerfully.
For the Talent Catalyst: We encourage you to reflect what you are hearing and that means listening to more than the words. When answers are accompanied by emotions, reflect the emotions as well. Emotional Intelligence studies indicate that the expression of these emotions may be valuable clues to where this conversation wants, and needs, to go. By reflecting the emotions you are hearing, you are giving that emotion validity. You are tacitly granting permission for the Hero to include it in her or his story.
For the Talent Hero: Many of us were taught not to display our emotions in public. Even in a Talent Catalyst Conversation with a trusted companion, we may find ourselves wanting to pull back from or hide an emerging emotion. In this context, however, the emotion may be just the “juice” your talent needs to burst into the open and create a powerful Hero Story.
Here are several common emotional responses that are worth exploring:
1.The Big Grin…When you talk about your hopes, you find yourself grinning from ear to ear, and your Talent Catalyst notices it as well. If you follow that grin, it can lead you to make some great choices for your talent.
2. The Moist Eye…Maybe you find yourself welling up and fighting back the tears. Perhaps these are tears of inspiration or signs that the hope has been buried too long or that it is connected with a pain or wound from your past. There is no need in this context to explore the root cause, but honoring its presence can create the clarity you need to express yourself fully.
3. The Fire in the Belly…This could be passion, frustration, and even anger that is associated with deeply held beliefs and values. There is power in these emotions that can lead you to places you’ll never find by playing it cool.
You’ll notice that these emotional responses are not just about feelings. They also have physical sensations. They are tangible reminders that we are fully human and that our talent lies in that humanity.
Photo by: Maryvery
