17 Feb Future of Work with Catalyst: Emily Troiano & Alix Pollack 

Talk to Us: Creating a Culture of Conversation at Work

Emily Troiano, SHRM-SCP, is vice president, Knowledge & Solution Design, Catalyst.

Alix Pollack is vice president and head of Solution Development, Catalyst.

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As people’s beliefs and values grow more divergent, leadership requires more courage than ever to engage in real conversation. Dialogue is a critical tool for understanding one another’s experiences. But it goes further. It’s not just about fostering greater empathy and understanding—though that is essential—it’s also key to creating impact at work. Dialogue is a form of action, one that each of us must take.

Dialogue is not debate, where each person in a conversation tries to prove their position is superior. Nor is it discussion, a general exchange of information. Rather, dialogue is when people in a conversation seek to understand one another without trying to persuade or “win.”

Creating a culture of conversation at work—to talk through difficulties and across differences—is critically important. This is as true for women leaders as it is for all leaders. At Catalyst, we’ve spent decades studying inclusive leadership. We have seen again and again that workplaces thrive when people talk through challenges, not around them.

But meaningful dialogue doesn’t happen automatically. It takes intention and effort, from noticing and understanding the sticking points, to leveraging specific skills to redirect toward a more productive dialogue, to fostering a culture of conversation where these behaviors are modeled, encouraged, enabled, and rewarded.

The good news is that you can build an inclusive workplace through dialogue. Our new tool, Overcome four conversation roadblocks to drive dialogue, lays out four specific steps that every leader needs to be truly inclusive. Here are the roadblocks that divide people—and solutions to overcome them.

Rigid thinking or fixed mindset

Roadblock: We’ve all had moments when someone’s perspective feels so foreign we instinctively dismiss it. “That doesn’t make sense,” we think. But leadership means leaning into those moments, not away from them.

Action Steps: Instead of shutting down, ask, “Can you tell me more about how you see it?” to open the door to empathy, innovation, and connection.

Unclear value or payoff for effort

Roadblock: Hard conversations can be downright exhausting! And when the outcome feels uncertain, it’s tempting to stay silent. But silence has a cost. It can lead to disengagement, simmering tensions, and missed opportunities for growth.

Action Steps: Think through what might happen if you don’t engage in dialogue, such as eroded trust, and then take a risk. When you do engage in dialogue, you can build stronger relationships and trust.

Conflict avoidance

Roadblock: Were you raised to avoid conflict to keep the peace, not rock the boat? A lot of us were. But avoiding tough conversations doesn’t preserve harmony. It postpones progress. Women leaders, in particular, are often expected to be peacemakers, but leadership necessitates engaging with discomfort, not avoiding it.

Action Steps: Reframe the conflict to clarify and shift the narrative. Ask a curious question to make the conversation more manageable and impactful.

Fear of making mistakes

Roadblock: Many of us worry about saying the wrong thing, offending someone, or looking foolish. For women, who may already feel pressure to “get it right,” this fear can be especially paralyzing. But perfection isn’t the goal. Growth is.

Action Steps: Be honest about your fears, approach conversations with humility, and create space for learning. Saying, “I’m still learning, and I want to understand,” is a powerful act of leadership. EW