Celeste Headlee
- Don’t multi-task. Focus on the conversation.
- Don’t pontificate – you are not there to preach – do not enter a conversation unless you think you have something to learn
- Use open ended questions – who, what, where, when, why and how.
- Go with the flow – let thoughts come and go – don’t hang on to something that seemed like a good idea.
- If you don’t know, say that you don’t know.
- Never equate your experience with theirs – it is never the same.
- Try not to repeat yourself – it is condescending and boring.
- Stay out of the weeds – people don’t care about the details – names, dates etc. They care about you and your commonality.
- Listen – active listening – LISTEN – If your mouth is open then you are not learning (Buddha) – nobody ever listened themselves out of a job (Calvin Coolidge) – 225 words per minute talking – 500 words per minute listening. Most people don’t listen with the intent to understand, we listen with the intent to reply (Steven Cubby).
- Be interested in other people. A good conversation is like a miniskirt; short enough to retain interest, but long enough to cover the subject.