Building Trust Through Genuine Conversations: A Conversation with John Duffin - Part 2

“So, when you’re speaking to somebody, hear them before, hear them during, [and] hear them after. And earn the right to have the conversation. It’s like you’re just always hearing them and you’re always double-checking yourself, and that’s when we were just talking about a few minutes ago. If you’re speaking to somebody and you’ve uncovered something, and it’s like, hey, is this still real? Is this still relevant? Do I understand this and or you correctly? Do I have it right? [Then] they feel heard, and then it becomes that collective conversation. Like you were saying, I just want to know what’s going on, and we’re always talking to somebody.” – John Duffin

 

This episode is the second half of my conversation with executive coach, podcast host, and DuffinMedia voice talent John Duffin as we discuss how leaders can better communicate with their teams, the challenge of balancing legal concerns and genuine empathy in the business world, and the uses John’s found for AI tools like Claude and ChatGPT when it comes to content.

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(0:00:00) - Effective Communication for Leaders

As our conversation continues, we talk more about building trust and sincere relationships with clients and listeners. “If you did nothing more,” John advises, “then talk to people, not at people. Put your bullet points away, put your PowerPoint slides down for a moment, and look at people.” He talks about delivering bad news in an empathetic way and overcoming the common habit of assuming the worst.

“I’m terrible at this,” he notes. “As a human, I don’t mean boss, leader, comedian, as a human, I make up all kinds of scenarios. Very few of them are good unless I’m reading my own affirmations.”

(0:06:45) - Effective Communication in Difficult Conversations

John addresses the obstacles that business concerns can pose to expressing empathy, and how he works with clients to balance legal liabilities and genuine communication. “They are taught from a company perspective, don’t say too much,” he explains. “Don’t say too much. Here’s your talking points. You know, look sad when you say this and don’t say what. If they ask a question, don’t answer it.” He offers an example of a straightforward, if disappointing, conversation early in his career that struck just the right note. “She was like, ‘Hey John, you were great. I wasn’t able to select you for this position, I am going to be going with [someone else]. I think that’s all she said, and it was plenty.”

(0:17:13) - The Art of Authentic Communication

Our discussion comes to a close as he tells us what he’s working on now, including a new online course he’s developed and a wide variety of upcoming speaking roles. “My next speaking engagement, that’ll be several hundred people, and I’ve spoken in front of one, you know,” he says. “Are there technical nuances between the two? Yes, but the heart of it remains the same.” He adds his thoughts on the most important aspect of communication: “I’ve got a whole series of techniques that I’ve created and that I keep working on. And, folks, the easiest way to say it is...