The Power of One Conversation
There’s a quote I love that says,
“One good conversation can shift the direction of change forever.”
When I look back at the moments that truly changed my life or career, they almost always began with one conversation. Not a conference. Not a course. Just a real, respectful, and often unexpected exchange with someone who said something that made me think differently — and act courageously.
Sometimes, these came when I felt least prepared to hear them, but in hindsight, they were perfectly timed.
Childhood Conversations That Planted Seeds
In primary school in 1980s Ireland, positive psychology wasn’t really a thing — but I got my own version of it. My principal once told me:
“You have brains. Use them. Don’t be a silly girl.”
It was blunt (maybe even harsh), but that sentence stuck. It gave me permission to believe I could be something more than what I saw around me.
Later, in secondary school, my English teacher invited me to join the debating team. I saw all the reasons why I couldn’t — I didn’t live in town, I’d need lifts, I was already busy, and honestly, I didn’t feel like I belonged. But I said yes. And our team went on to win the Concern All-Ireland Debating competition.
That experience — and the reunion we had 30 years later, organised by Joe and attended by our teacher Willie — reminded me that sometimes, others see our potential long before we do.
One Dinner, One Dream
At 20, I was working in a Dublin office of a temping agency (a subsidiary of a London-based firm), quietly observing everything that wasn’t working.
One night, Gerry invited Cathie and me for dinner. At the table, we asked:
“What if it was our company? How would we do it differently?”
That dinner-table chat wasn’t a business plan — it was belief. Nine months later, we founded 3Q Catering, now known as 3Q Recruitment.
26 years on, that “what if” conversation still fuels the people-first philosophy that drives our work.
The Everyday Magic of Conversations
Some of the biggest leaps I’ve made began with just one exchange:
- Network Ireland mentoring sessions: One hour with another woman in business can completely reset my approach.
- Going for Growth: A single conversation with my mentor Mary Anne O’Brien inspired a deep dive into digital assets — and the launch of a new jobs board for nurses.
- The Shona Project: A chat with Tammy Darcy led me to proudly join the 500 x 500 programme, supporting young women in Ireland.
And then there are the informal ones:
- Mentioning to a friend that I’d love to lecture led to a warm introduction… and this year, I delivered my first full Master’s module.
- A vulnerable conversation with a business coach helped me name my grief, shut down a draining business venture, and make space for healing.
A text from a mentee said:
“You helped me start from where I was.”
One conversation — and consistent encouragement — helped her transform her life within a year.
We Need More Real Conversations
In today’s world, where we’re afraid to say the wrong thing or offend, we risk saying nothing at all. But in doing so, we miss the magic of shared experience — and the creative solutions that only emerge from honest, open dialogue.
So, as we move through August, I invite you to have that conversation.
Reach out. Ask the question. Say the thing.
You never know where it might lead.
