The Quickest Way to Kill a Conversation

Last updated on: November 13, 2012 at 6:07 am by JBW

The Quickest Way to Kill a Conversation 2012-11-13T06:07:09-05:00 JBW

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

I attended a business conference last week, and at the end of the first day found myself enjoying a very pleasant dinner cruise around the Marina Del Rey harbor with the other participants.

I met plenty of nice folks throughout the day, and we shared many business discussions revolving around the topics presented by the speakers. But over the course of the dinner, the conversation at my table of eight turned more personal. This could have something to do with the wine bar. Anyway, we soon began laughing and swapping stories like old chums as we discovered delightful commonalities in our various backgrounds – geographies, companies, scooping on industry dirt.

I decided to let my guard down and be thoroughly authentic with these people. What harm could that do? As you know, I have recently taken full ownership over my identity as a writer, and determined this was an ideal opportunity to let it all hang out, so to speak, with my new friends. No need to hide these things!

I casually dropped the word, “writer” and “author” a couple of times in association with my many professional activities, subtly alerting the crowd to my humble creative abilities. Then, as the table began to discuss the next day’s travel plans, I announced with great confidence, “Well, I’m actually not heading back to Philadelphia. I’m flying out from here to San Antonio for a writers retreat.”

I was referring to The High Calling Editor’s Retreat at Laity Lodge in Texas that was starting the next day. But I didn’t stop there. “Yes, it’s really quite wonderful to go from ‘all-business’ to ‘all-creative’ in the span of a couple days!” At this, I sat back in my chair and swilled another satisfying sip of Merlot. And bong-bong, here I am!

This intrigued my new friends very much, and quite possibly also elevated my status a couple notches in their eyes.

“Oh, how interesting!” said a bookish-looking woman wrapped in a black shawl. “What kind of writing do you do?”

Although I was all too ready to promote my dual identity as executive-slash-creatively-awesome-writer, this particular question I was not prepared for. What kind of writing am I doing? What do you call this stuff?

“I, uh, I write about spiritual life, and how it connects with finding purpose in our work,” I said. My mouth became fuzzy, and, fumbling for the right words, I suddenly felt as if I somehow began speaking a different dialect.

Upon hearing this, she pursed her lips and inhaled quickly, as if she was about to respond, but hesitated and didn’t say anything at all.

“I’m a Christian,” I continued, filling in the blank space that seemed to require further explanation. “I write about how our faith can influence our professional life.”

At this, she said, “Oh,” and then abruptly turned to the woman seated to her left.

“Sheila, what do you think those lights are?” she asked, waving vaguely towards the galley window.

Ah, yes. The rewards of occupying an incomprehensible, non-existent niche in business writing.

But don’t think for a second that’s going to stop me.

Faith in the Workplace

Authenticity

Business conference

Writing

Previous Post

November 9, 2012

A Spiritual App for the Workplace

Next Post

November 20, 2012 Feeling Beat Up at Work? Give Yourself a Pep Talk!

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Ambition Blogging Career Culture Executive Career Development Failure Faith in the Workplace Family Feeling Stupid Leadership Managing People Purpose Reviews Spirituality Uncategorized Work-Life Balance

Select a Month November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which king was killed at the Battle of Megiddo?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Asa Jehoash Amaziah Josiah