How to start conversations
that change Your Future

Keynote or Workshop

Ideal for:

Succession Planning, general ag audiences, leadership conferences, Young Farmers & Ranchers

Overview:

Research shows that the very act of telling a story can change how you perceive your experience. In today’s modern age, older adults need more opportunities to tell stories of their past so that they can close one chapter and move to the next. This talk teaches the audience how to prompt the kinds of stories that allow a mind to change and move to the next chapter.

Many ag families find themselves in intractable situations where the younger members are ready for change, while older members feel like impatience surrounds every decision. The goal-oriented young people want to move tasks forward and become frustrated by the avoidance of decisions and the unwillingness to talk directly about the issues. How should a person proceed in these delicate situations?

In this unique presentation, instead of focusing on the technical details of succession, communications expert Vance Crowe will describe how to engage older family members so that they are more willing to open up, feel understood, and are more likely to discuss sensitive issues like farm succession.

Crowe’s unique perspective is grounded in his work recording Legacy Interviews where he guides older individuals and couples to record their life stories so that future generations can know their family history.

Hundreds of guests have shared their hopes and fears about aging, family, and the significant moments of their lives with Crowe. Through this work, Crowe has learned both how to make people feel comfortable opening up and how minds have changed as they age.

During this presentation, Crowe will demonstrate how an aging parent’s brain is literally changing and teach how to approach conversations so that your elders respond more positively.

The audience will learn:

1. Tactics that will help you gain value from repetitive stories.

2. How to ask great follow up questions (by avoiding common mistakes that kill conversation) so that you can deepen the conversation.

3. How to become more patient conversations that can eventually lead to important and sensitive subjects.

What makes this talk special:

Very seldom do you hear a talk that makes you walk out better able to communicate with strangers and loved ones. This session will help your audience realize that they can have deeper conversations with anyone by using simple techniques that disarms people with authentic curiosity.

Interested in a negotiations workshop?

Vance can deliver a 60 minute to half day workshop that will teach interest-based negotiations. This can be a stand alone workshop or an add on to an exciting keynote.