How a Conversation Needs to be More Like a Tennis Game

As you seek to communicate well with your staff, patients, friends and family, a perspective to consider:

Perhaps a conversation should be more like a tennis game. This practice could revolutionize your relationships!

I believe talking and listening should be like playing a game of tennis:

1. Person #1 asks a question (serves the ball)
2. Then listens as Person #2 answers that question (returns the serve)
3. Person #1 then makes a follow-up comment based on that answer (hits the ball back over the net)
4. And again listens as Person #2 responds to their comment (hits the ball back again)

If someone always keeps the ball on their side of the net by talking constantly without letting the other person get a word in, that is not a pleasant game of tennis!

Or if someone serves the ball but Person #2 never hits it back or engages in any way, that isn’t really a game of tennis either, or a true conversation.

But it is delightful to have a tennis game where you can keep hitting the ball back and forth, back and forth, just like a conversation that includes talking and listening, asking and answering is the best.

Just some things to think about and try out this week as you focus on how people talk and seek to understand them better.

Here’s to good tennis game conversations–

QUESTION: Have you ever thought about how having a conversation is like playing a good game of tennis? Do you see the positive possibilities? I’d love to hear your thoughts and observations. Please share in the comment section below.