It has always struck me as odd, and to be honest sad, how many people have said to me over the years “I never get to have conversations like this at work normally.”
Having grown up conversations at work about what really matters, rather than superficial ones about what doesn’t, is hard. It takes vulnerability and courage.
It’s a bit like writing. We get so hung up, as a result of our schooling, about how we “should” be writing that we end up either not writing, or worse, writing but saying nothing.
The same happens with work conversations. We get so hung up about how we “should” behave, what is businesslike, that we end up saying nothing or talking management bullocks.
It’s a shame…
The Obvious? 
Euan, I have the same experience and I find it strange.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree that it’s a shame. It would go a long way to then clear the air, then together determine a path to how to get things done, solve problems or work together. Instead, there’s an underlying fear and distrust that our questions are seen as us being difficult; our concerns as us being overly sensitive. I don’t think it’s the case at all. It’s when there’s inconsistency in how we communicate to each other, add the pressure that everyone is measured by some metric, then naturally they’ll cover up and hide elements of their work and skim the surface. It’s a matter of workplace survival methinks.
LikeLiked by 1 person