How to Have an Actually Good 1:1 Conversation

There’s no magic formula for moving your co-worker (nor should there be)! Organizing is about building real relationships across the shop floor based on mutual trust and a shared vision for a better workplace—and having good 1-1 conversations is an important first step! 

If you’ve ever been to an organizing training, you’ve probably also heard the mantra to listen more than you talk. But what does that mean? You’re not just here to be someone’s therapist or provide a parallel HR service or create endless surveys! You want to transform your workplace into one that meets your bargaining unit’s needs on the job by building power together. 

To do that, it helps to understand what makes a good organizing conversation. Drawn from decades of tested tactics that have worked in shop floors across industries, here are some ways to have great 1-1 conversations that will leave you and your co-workers energized and more connected to the union you’re building together!  

Labor Notes Organizer Sarah Hughes joins the pod.