About six weeks ago, I received an email with the subject line "Interest...:"
Good morning Jessica!
I was wondering if you do invited talks on working virtually?
I’m running an event for a senior team at [a well known European company] with whom I have a long standing relationship.
My expertise is in dialogue and perhaps we could consider doing an interview with you to close a two day session in late January? Or maybe you’d prefer to do a talk, in person or virtually!
Do let me know if it’s worth us having a chat on Skype or something about this.
By the way – I read your writing about Jeff on your blog and found it incredibly moving and eloquent. Thank you.
Yours,
Karl James
Director
The Dialogue Project
20 Temple Sheen Road
London
SW14 7QG
+44 (0) 20 8878 0929
Twitter: @2plus2makes5
What ensued were a couple of conversations during which Karl explained the engagement and we developed the kind of rapport one does with like-minded people whom you meet only over Skype or on the phone. I sent him an essay I'd written about New Zealand; he sent me a link to an extraordinary radio program he's done for Radio 4 in the UK, which airs today.
Listen to "A Different Kind of Justice." Keep yourself busy while listening in whatever way makes you comfortable but you don't want to miss this. Karl (by the way, also a theatre director, for example, Malvolio at the New Victory Theatre in New York right now) brings two people into conversation. And what ensues is remarkable. He should teach us all how to do it.
And, yes, I accepted the invitation, which turned out to have many unexpected gifts attached.
