How to Create More Meaningful Relationships with Topaz Adizes

The Leadership Habit

On this episode of The Leadership Habit Podcast, host Jenn DeWall sat down with Emmy-award-winning writer, director, and experience design architect Topaz Adizes to discuss cultivating deeper human connection—both in and out of the workplace. Their engaging conversation explored the importance of honest conversations, shared humanity, and the questions leaders can ask to create more meaningful relationships at work and in life.

Meet Topaz Adizes, Emmy Award Winning Writer & Director and Founder of The Skin Deep

Topaz Adizes is a renowned creator and the founder of The Skin Deep, an Emmy-winning experience design studio that examines human connections. His career spans prestigious accomplishments, including selection at Cannes, Sundance, and South by Southwest and features in The New Yorker and Vanity Fair. He is also the creator of the acclaimed Emmy award-winning series The And and the author of 12 Questions for Love: A Guide to Intimate Conversations and Deeper Relationships. Driven by a lifelong passion for creating spaces of shared humanity, Adizes has dedicated over a decade to observing and documenting honest conversations that build more meaningful relationships.

The Power of Connection

Topaz shared that his passion for fostering connection stems from early personal experiences, including his parents’ divorce at a young age. “For me, humanity is not within us individually, but it’s between us,” he explained. His groundbreaking work highlights how leaders and individuals can cultivate deeper human connection by focusing on the “space between”—that intangible bond created through shared understanding.

He emphasized that while all humans have a need to be seen and acknowledged, few are trained to cultivate the skills necessary to deepen relationships. “What you practice, you get good at,” Adizes noted, explaining the importance of modeling and practicing meaningful interactions in both personal and professional settings.

Tools for Deeper Relationships

Topaz shared two key elements for creating meaningful relationships:

1. Creating the Space: Setting clear intentions and boundaries for conversations builds psychological safety. Whether in brainstorming sessions or personal exchanges, leaders can benefit from defining the type of discussion to disarm participants and foster engagement. This process is crucial to creating something special in every interaction.
2. Asking Well-Constructed Questions: Honest conversations thrive on powerful questions that avoid binary answers and instead invite introspection. They are shaped to be connective, reflective of the relationship between participants, and aimed at eliciting nuanced responses. For instance, instead of asking, “Why did this campaign fail?” try, “Why do you feel this campaign didn’t achieve its goals?”

As Topaz eloquently put it, “Our differences are our superpower. The challenge is cultivating conversations around those differences to uncover golden opportunities.”

Where to Find More from Topaz Adizes

Interested in exploring more of Topaz’s work? Here’s where you can connect:

• Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/topazadizes
• Visit his website: theskindeep.com
• Social Media: Follow The Skin Deep on Instagram and other platforms
• Products: Check out The And at Work decks and workshop toolkits to spark meaningful and honest conversations in your workplace

Unlock Your Leadership Potential

For leaders seeking actionable strategies to enhance team connections, request a complimentary leadership workshop at crestcom.com/freeworkshop. In just two hours, you’ll gain tools to build trust, improve communication, and create something unique within your team.

Take the next step toward meaningful leadership. Listen to this powerful episode and discover how fostering deeper human connection can transform your personal and professional life.

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