Recently, a group of Advocate Capital and AdvoCap Insurance Agency, Inc. associates got together under the invite and leadership of the ACI Culture Club to hold a Living Room Conversation. What is a Living Room Conversation? The purpose behind these conversations is connection. We want to connect with our colleagues in a meaningful way that is not just about our roles or what we do for our organizations. Groups of four to seven get together and discuss various real-life topics. These sessions are a great way to enhance the corporate culture of the organizations and to grow our understanding of the cultures we each hail from.

Living Room Conversations is an open-source project that is gaining steam as a way to come together as communities and understand each other on a different level. Conversations can be held with colleagues, communities, families and friends. According to the organization, "Living Room Conversations offer a simple, sociable, and structured way to practice communicating across differences while building understanding and relationships." These sessions typically last about 90 minutes and cover a variety of topics. These sessions are not about debating or convincing each other but rather about sharing and listening for understanding.

As a group, this was an excellent exercise. The topic for our conversation was Social Identity and what that meant to each of us. It was an experience that brought us all closer together in an authentic way that was unexpected. The meetings are intended to be confidential and a safe place for all that attend. So, we can't share more about our session, but if you want to learn about the Living Room Conversations organization and how to start your own conversations, please check out their website and the free materials to get you started, available here. Thank you to the ACI Culture Club for presenting these sessions and supporting associates' emotional growth through these programs.