---
title: "It's up to us to decide on the kind of conversations we have. The way… — Theodore Zeldin Quote #11 | QuotesBy.net"
description: "It's up to us to decide on the kind of conversations we have. The way we talk at the office or factory shapes the work we do; it's not just machines … — a quote by Theodore Zeldin."
image: "https://quotesby.net/wp-content/themes/quotesby-editorial/assets/og-default.png"
---

> # It's up to us to decide on the kind of conversations we have. The way we talk at the office or factory shapes the work we do; it's not just machines which force us to be obedient. I want to show how we could make our work a lot less boring and frustrating if we learned to talk differently.

[Theodore Zeldin](https://quotesby.net/Theodore-Zeldin)\#11

[Conversation](https://quotesby.net/Theodore-Zeldin/conversation/)[Behavior](https://quotesby.net/topics/behavior/)[Communication](https://quotesby.net/topics/communication/)[Culture](https://quotesby.net/topics/culture/)[Work](https://quotesby.net/topics/work/)[Workplace](https://quotesby.net/topics/workplace/)

[WhatsApp (opens in a new tab)](https://wa.me/?text=%E2%80%9CIt%27s%20up%20to%20us%20to%20decide%20on%20the%20kind%20of%20conversations%20we%20have.%20The%20way%20we%20talk%20at%20the%20office%20or%20factory%20shapes%20the%20work%20we%20do%3B%20it%27s%20not%20just%20machines%20which%20force%20us%20to%20be%20obedient.%20I%20want%20to%20show%20how%20we%20could%20make%20our%20work%20a%20lot%20less%20boring%20and%20frustrating%20if%20we%20learned%20to%20talk%20differently.%E2%80%9D%20%E2%80%94%20Theodore%20Zeldin%20https%3A%2F%2Fquotesby.net%2FTheodore-Zeldin%2F11%2F)[X (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=%E2%80%9CIt%27s%20up%20to%20us%20to%20decide%20on%20the%20kind%20of%20conversations%20we%20have.%20The%20way%20we%20talk%20at%20the%20office%20or%20factory%20shapes%20the%20work%20we%20do%3B%20it%27s%20not%20just%20machines%20which%20force%20us%20to%20be%20obedient.%20I%20want%20to%20show%20how%20we%20could%20make%20our%20work%20a%20lot%20less%20boring%20and%20frustrating%20if%20we%20learned%20to%20talk%20differently.%E2%80%9D%20%E2%80%94%20Theodore%20Zeldin&url=https%3A%2F%2Fquotesby.net%2FTheodore-Zeldin%2F11%2F)[Facebook (opens in a new tab)](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fquotesby.net%2FTheodore-Zeldin%2F11%2F)

## About this quote

What does it mean?Workplace dialogue shapes behavior and work quality more than tools do.In plain termsHow we talk at work affects how we work more than machines do.What can you take from it?Improve work by changing how people talk to each other.

### Where it applies

- office management
- factory floors
- remote teams

### Putting it to work

- encourage open feedback
- reduce hierarchical talk

### Questions to consider

- How does your team's language affect morale?

### Another view

Structural issues can limit the impact of better talk.

## More from Theodore Zeldin

1. > Conversation is a meeting of minds with different memories and habits. When minds meet, they don't just exchange facts: they transform them, reshape them, draw…

[Permalink to quote \#10](https://quotesby.net/Theodore-Zeldin/10/ "Permalink to quote 10")
2. > No amount of status or reward will compensate for your inadequacy as a human being.

[Permalink to quote \#12](https://quotesby.net/Theodore-Zeldin/12/ "Permalink to quote 12")
3. > Change the way you think, and you are halfway to changing the world.

[Permalink to quote \#9](https://quotesby.net/Theodore-Zeldin/9/ "Permalink to quote 9")

## Related quotes

1. > A lot of people come up to me and say, 'Oh God, I'm just like Karen, that's what they \[tell me\] at the office'. I'm like, 'You know what? The people in your of…

[Megan Mullally](https://quotesby.net/Megan-Mullally)[Megan Mullally quote \#27](https://quotesby.net/Megan-Mullally/27/ "Permalink to quote 27")
2. > 'I'm not a real vocal guy, but sometimes you need to kick someone in the ass.'

[Alex Rodriguez](https://quotesby.net/Alex-Rodriguez)[Alex Rodriguez quote \#3](https://quotesby.net/Alex-Rodriguez/3/ "Permalink to quote 3")
3. > 'You're a corporate whore, Merry Christmas.'

[Scott R. Kurtz](https://quotesby.net/Scott-R.-Kurtz)[Scott R. Kurtz quote \#3](https://quotesby.net/Scott-R.-Kurtz/3/ "Permalink to quote 3")

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@type": "Quotation",
    "text": "It's up to us to decide on the kind of conversations we have. The way we talk at the office or factory shapes the work we do; it's not just machines which force us to be obedient. I want to show how we could make our work a lot less boring and frustrating if we learned to talk differently.",
    "url": "https://quotesby.net/Theodore-Zeldin/11/",
    "spokenByCharacter": {
        "@type": "Person",
        "name": "Theodore Zeldin"
    }
}
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
    "itemListElement": [
        {
            "@type": "ListItem",
            "position": 1,
            "name": "Home",
            "item": "https://quotesby.net/"
        },
        {
            "@type": "ListItem",
            "position": 2,
            "name": "Authors",
            "item": "https://quotesby.net/authors/"
        },
        {
            "@type": "ListItem",
            "position": 3,
            "name": "Theodore Zeldin",
            "item": "https://quotesby.net/Theodore-Zeldin"
        },
        {
            "@type": "ListItem",
            "position": 4,
            "name": "Quote #11",
            "item": "https://quotesby.net/Theodore-Zeldin/11/"
        }
    ]
}
```