The easiest way to have better conversations is simply to ask more questions. Be a little more curious and present, try to listen a bit more (two ears, one mouth and all that). Perhaps we are seeing a side effect of online communication where everything is about the next thing. And of course, it is tempting to quickly follow up on a point by relating it to something you have experienced yourself. Nothing wrong with that, it’s how we connect the dots. But try to acknowledge what the other person is saying by asking a follow-up question or two. Otherwise, the conversation can easily turn into a tedious back-and-forth of “Enough about you, let’s talk about me” affair. When you feel seen, heard and perhaps even understood, you are also much more likely to share more, and the conversation becomes deeper. I am trying to become better at this myself; it is mostly about being aware and just being a little bit curious. That’s it, really.
Oh, and LHF is ‘Low Hanging Fruits,” just super simple little things you can try.
LHF: Ask better follow-up questions
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