The Greek philosopher Heraclitus once said that everything flows: nature, of which we are part, is constantly in flux. But sometimes you encounter an organisation where everything seems to be stuck: where people find themselves in conflicts that they can no longer resolve, or where teams spend much of their time and energy resisting the changes that the world is asking of them.

My conviction and personal experience is that interpersonal connection is fundamental to restore flexibility to systems that have become rigid. The basis for that connection is genuine curiosity. And that sounds simpler than it is in reality. How often do we not listen to each other on a superficial level, merely waiting for the right moment to conclude: "yes, I feel the same!" or "ha, that's what I thought!"? People are often too quick to think they know what is really going on, without truly opening themselves to the possibilities, the desires, and the self-disclosures that lie dormant in the words of others.

I have collaborated with The Human Effect for 15 years now, operating from the shared conviction that change and progress are not primarily an intellectual matter, but one of the heart. Who is the person you are speaking to, really? What values and life experiences have shaped their outlook? What are their needs and anxieties? What makes them do what they do and say what they say? What sets them in motion or keeps them in place? Working with people in their fundamental humanity is the best job in the world, and it is also tremendously effective. Because if you can stimulate authentic curiosity in people, you can raise their awareness of their common ground: a shared experience of connection, safety, and trust that unlocks true change.