Here’s a situation that’s right up my imaginary alley. What if you and I were invited to hobnob with Britain’s shining female stars and the first ladies of several countries? What if they included Harry Potter’s creator and the first lady of the United States? What could we talk about?
That’s the enviable and intimidating situation Dame Kelly Holmes found herself in this week. As I began reading her story, I thought "Who’s Dame Kelly?"
Answer: She won Olympic gold medals in running, and, as you and I would have, she "felt a little out of place."
My table consisted of Mrs Svetlana Medvedeva of Russia, Mrs Kim Koo–ok of Korea, the broadcaster Emma Freud, J K Rowling, and Sarah Brown. I had Mrs Margarita Zavala of Mexico on my right, and Michelle Obama on my left. I found myself thinking that had I been Leona Lewis, I would have burst into song with A Moment Like This.
I did wonder how to start a conversation with two of the first ladies sitting beside me, so I simply asked the most obvious question: "How has your day been?"
The question was specific enough and open enough to start a conversation. One key to connecting with people whom we might regard as "out of our league" is to focus on what we have in common.
Read her whole marvelous story and then think about what you would have to contribute to the conversation at our table. What might you have in common with our tablemates? What interests and concerns of yours could intersect with the interests these women have? Remember, they’re women first and famous second.
Read Dame Holmes’s story here.
Tags: Dame Kelly Holmes, Michelle Obama