From Cascade to Conversation by Sarah Moffat – #ICBookClub review

October, 2017 

This month's #ICBookClub book 'From Cascade to Conversation' took place this Tuesday on our Twitter page! If you missed the conversation or are interested in finding out whether it's worth a read then check out Sarah Moffatt's* fantastic review below.

“If one of them is the boss and acts like it, this is not a conversation – it is a broadcast” 

From Cascade to Conversation stays true to its word – to challenge, delight and infuriate the reader. It wants to inspire leaders to move away from the safety of the podium. It’s not a manual and doesn’t provide a list of answers.

Something I had to remember, when I furrowed my brows or nodded heavily in agreement when reading. I didn’t agree with everything – but that’s ok, it is supposed to be a conversation.

The book helps you think about how you can prepare your work environment and its people for conversations – which should occur between equals and be unguided. There’s a chapter focused on this very topic which will help as you’ll need to convince leaders to give their time.
I’m on the hunt to track down T-shaped stars to join my ‘genius’ group – people who deliver two performances: results in their own job and results by collaborating across the company. No one is as smart as everyone was my favourite chapter.

Every chapter is followed by a ‘conversation’ with someone sharing a practical example or experience. Ideas to engage with contact centre, factory, retail and remote employees feature a lot in the book – if you have this challenge it’ll be great for you. I particularly like that a hostage negotiator is now working with corporate clients to help them acquire ‘formula 1’ listening skills. I like it, but it highlights how difficult true listening can be.

It reminds us to listen to line managers to help them –they feel pressure from above and below – we need to respect them and give them what they need.
The penultimate chapter closes with ‘Productive and meaningful face-to-face conversations are the acid test of your internal communications. Open dialogue is the foundation of collaborative working, employee engagement and ultimately of organisational success’. So on that note it’s time for me to put the book down and get started!



*Sarah Moffatt is an Internal Communications Channel Manager at ACCA