10 Things That Require Zero Talent
Some groups need a little priming and communication practice before they’re ready to talk about deeper issues. One way is to get them there is to introduce a low-stakes topic that everyone will have an opinion about. I like to share the following list:
10 Things That Require Zero Talent
Being on time
Work ethic
Effort
Body language
Energy
Attitude
Passion
Being coachable
Doing extra
Being prepared
Share the list, and encourage participants to talk about it in small groups, practicing good communication skills:
active listening
open ended questions
withholding judgment
making space for quiet voices
balancing opinions
drawing out information
empathizing
encouraging or harvesting
legitimizing differences
linking ideas
paraphrasing and summarizing
validating others’ ideas
The exact source of the list is unknown, but coach Lou Holtz, speaker Molly Fletcher, and investor Bill Gross all popularized the list in 2015 and 2016.
