The Next Conversation

Fisher lays the emotional and narrative groundwork for the book by sharing the origins of his passion for communication. He recalls a formative childhood memory: sitting in awe as generations of Fisher men—lawyers and judges—gathered to tell courtroom stories. Though he hardly spoke, he was mesmerized by the power of performance, tone, and empathy in storytelling. These early experiences planted the seed for what he later identified as a family inheritance—not merely a profession but a legacy of advocacy through connection.

Fisher traces how this foundation shaped his role as the oldest sibling, where he became a natural mediator and emotional interpreter. He honed practical communication skills not in courtrooms or classrooms but in living rooms filled with invisible pancakes and Polly Pocket disputes. These domestic moments offered lessons in listening, patience, tone regulation, and emotional intelligence, skills often passed down informally within families.

Fisher’s experience reflects a specific kind of cultural lens: a stable, close-knit household that is rooted in professional privilege and strong male mentorship. His emphasis on communication as a “family inheritance” may resonate differently with readers who lacked early models of safe or healthy dialogue. This highlights a subtle bias in the framing: Fisher’s lessons arise from connection, not from disconnection, which may limit immediate relatability for some audiences (though Fisher argues that his lessons can be learned at any age).