When people value relationships over status, they stimulate the brain chemistry that supports nurturing. They move from a fearful state of mind to a more trusting state of mind. Even in the face of difficult challenges, focusing on relationships shifts the conversation, which shifts the outcomes. As we will see, when relationships start to go bad in a healthy company, people use the tool of priming to address the issue quickly and directly. They focus on raising the bar on what good and great relationships look like — they focus on mutual support and understanding rather than personal gain.

When we focus on relationships first, we create a safe space for connecting with others heart to heart, and people move toward one another with compassion and understanding rather than away from each other in fear and judgment. We bring the skeptic on board.

— Conversational Intelligence: How Great Leaders Build Trust & Get Extraordinary Results by Judith E. Glaser