Siouxland Magazine - Volume 2 Issue 2

Let’s Talk
By Peggy Smith
In this world of technology, it is easy to lose
the personal touch. It’s hard to have a meaningful
conversation through text. Our conversations have become
much shallower, and we take people’s responses for
granted – at face value. We ask an acquaintance to join us
at an event, and he or she decline. We think, “oh well” and
move on instead of asking “why”. We make assumptions
instead of really asking, and then listening, to understand
the answers we are given.
We’ve probably all used the “Five Why’s” to learn the root
cause of a problem. Asking why the project failed, and then
asking why that circumstance happened, and so on until
we really come to the true cause. But do we use the “Five
Whys” in personal conversations to understand another’s
viewpoint and why she feels that way?
Learning more about each other breaks down barriers and
allows us to connect on a personal level, despite differing
viewpoints. Going around the room and answering the
same question can provide enormous insight into the
personalities and values of the group. Just asking, “What
is one thing you do virtually every single day?” will open
conversations and take them from shallow to deeper and
is more personal and more enlightening. A person may
comment, “I drink 2 cups of coffee.” But as you go around
the room, people start to answer on another level – “I tell
my children I love them every morning” or “I take time to
What Can SCGO Do For You?
By Emily Vondrak
journal”. Once one person responds more intimately, it
gives the next person permission to also provide a more
intimate and personal answer. And once we get beyond the
mundane, we start to “know” each other.
Another way to open honest conversations is to
ask someone why they do what they do.
Their answers may contain a story – about an experience from
their childhood or youth that impacted them so strongly, it
influenced their career decision. Once we learn the “whys”
we can better understand differing viewpoints, differing
values and differing priorities. We can see similarities
between us, and we no longer feel so “different”. We can
respect why our paths are so divergent, and why we respond
to situations and challenges the way we do.
Curiosity and inquisitiveness are traits we should never lose.
They signal interest – if you ask me questions, I can tell you
want to know more – you are interested in me and my story.
To connect with each other, we need to be purposeful in our
conversations. We need to take the time to look beyond
the quick answer and figure out where the answer came
from. We need to practice the “5 Whys”, not just in problem
solving, but in connecting with others on a personal level.
Personal connections make for true understanding!
Peggy Smith is the Executive Director of Leadership Siouxland.
Siouxland Magazine | | Grow/37 / 39
Throughout history, there have been questions that
make us pause and think. Shakespeare asked, “To be
or not to be?”. According to Martin Luther King, Jr., “Life’s
most urgent Question is ‘what are you doing for others?”.
Each question that has stood the test of time relates to us in
different ways, and each allows us to broaden our horizons.
The question that best encompasses the Sioux City Growth
Organization is one from President John F. Kennedy, “Ask
not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do
for your country”.
Here at SCGO, we continually ask ourselves, each other, and
the community what can we be doing to make Siouxland
even better? How can we change the status quo? What can
we do that will make an impactful difference? How do we
attract, develop, and retain young professionals?
Like all big questions, there is not just one answer, and
solutions come from more than one place. We bring
together young professionals, each with their own
background, experiences, and ideas, to work together to
tackle these questions.
Since 2002, our mission of improving our community has
been encompassed by three pillars: Network, Volunteer, Get
Involved. We work to create a network within our region that
leads to business connections and long-lasting friendships.
We work to help new entrepreneurs get the resources they
need to succeed through the Innovation Market. We hold
events open to the public that bring new things to the
community, like our 3rd Thursdays or Music Bingo. We love
volunteering with local organizations and express the value
of staying in Siouxland after college.
I also ask the same question of everyone reading this
fantastic local publication - What do you want to see SCGO
do to help the community? Do you know of an organization
that needs volunteers? A fun event you’d love to see us
host? Or, even better, maybe you’re interested in joining our
group? We’re open to all and we’d love to have you!
Emily Vondrak is the Sioux City Growth Organization
Marketing Chair.