AAUW Kingston Branch Meeting with
Guest Speaker Fred Dust, author of
Making Conversation 
Thursday March 18, 2021
at 3 PM on Zoom

Making Conversation: Seven Essential Elements of Meaningful Communication

Conversations are one of the most fundamental means of communicating we have as humans. At their best, conversations are unconstrained, authentic and open–two or more people sharing thoughts and ideas in a way that bridges our individual experiences, achieves a common goal. At their worst, they foster misunderstanding, frustration and obscure our real intentions.

How often do you walk away from a conversation feeling really heard? That it moved the people in it forward in some important way? You’re not alone. In his practice as a designer, Fred Dust began to approach conversations differently. After years of trying to broker communication between colleagues and clients, he came to believe there had to a way to design the art of conversation itself with intention and purpose, but still artful and playful. Making Conversation codifies what he learned and outlines the four elements essential to successful exchanges: Commitment, Creative Listening, Clarity, and Context. Taken together, these four elements form a set of resources anyone can use to be more deliberate and purposeful in making conversations work.

Fred Dust is the founder of Making Conversation, LLC and works at the intersection of business, society and creativity. As a designer, author, educator, consultant, trustee, and advisor to social and business leaders, he is one of the world’s most original thinkers, applying the craft and optimism of human-centered design to the intractable challenges we face today. Using the methodology in his book Making Conversation, he has been working as the Senior Dialogue Designer with The Rockefeller Foundation to explore the future of pressing global needs; and with The Einhorn Collaborative and other foundations to host constructive dialogue with leaders ranging from David Brooks, Reverend Jenn Bailey, and Vivek Murthy to rebuild human connection in a climate of widespread polarization, cynicism and disruption. He is also proud to be faculty at the Esalen Institute.

As a former Global Managing Partner at the acclaimed international design firm IDEO, Fred works with leaders and change agents to unlock the creative potential of business, government, education, and philanthropic organizations.

For the Zoom link, abd/or if you need help with Zoom, email Lynn Gore (lynngore54@gmail.com).

There will be break-out rooms and time for questions after the presentation.

This meeting is open to AAUW Members, SSIP members and friends.

We look forward to seeing you tomorrow, March 18 at 3 PM. We will open the meeting at 2:45 PM so that everyone can get settled in and greeted.