Mastering the Art of Engaging Conversations: Our Response Team's Tips to Best Practice
Here are 10 tips we have for our Response Team to engage in meaningful and life-giving conversations.
Try to respond as soon as possible - Explorers expect instant responses to their questions.
Be personable - Explorers can read our tone, avoid formal language and be yourself.
Be proactive with your response - Gather information, answer the question, and move the conversation in the direction we want it to go.
Never assume anything - ask questions to get clarity. Eg.“Can you explain what you mean by that?”
Stay appropriate - if Explorers are being rude, don’t join them, bring it back to an appropriate level. If attempts fail, let them know kindly you will need to end the conversation.
Take a fresh approach to every conversation - take care not to get jaded in responding. Every Explorer is an individual and special, let’s make them feel like they are the only person we are talking to. Be careful not to get into habits of copying your responses, rather listen to the direction of the Holy Spirit.
Don’t argue or push your views - rather than debate or argue, take control and gently steer the conversations in a better direction.
Get to the heart - sometimes Explorers bombard us with questions. It’s not necessary to answer every question being asked. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you as you go. Turn the conversation towards Jesus – be Jesus to them. Demonstrate the love of God. Quietly ask yourself, ‘How would Jesus respond in this situation?’
Be instructional and directional - don’t take it for granted that Explorers understand; help to explain and teach them.
Explorers are hurting so let’s draw them in with love - many Explorers sound angry or hurl abuse, however, we’ve seen some fantastic turnarounds! Pray and trust God for that. A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare. (Proverbs 15:1)
Perhaps you will find these helpful in your everyday interactions with the people around you. Would you like to put them into practice?
We are always looking for more people to join our Response Team.
