How to dive deeper in conversation.

1. Become a Great
Conversationalist in 7 Easy Steps

2. Step 1.!
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• What’s your connection to the event?
• What’s keeping you busy when you’re not at events like
this or at work?
• Are you getting away this winter?
• Are you working on any charity initiatives?
• How did you come to be in your line of work?
Break the awkward silence
Ask the following questions:

3. Step 2.!
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• What is on your mind?
• What do you enjoy doing?
• What motivates you in life?
• Which sports do you play?
These are some of the questions I have for every person I meet.
Be genuinely interested in the person
Show interest by asking random questions:

4. Step 3.!
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Respect other people’s point of view. Respect other people’s
space - don’t encroach on the person’s privacy unless a
common bond has been established. Respect other people’s
personal choices - don’t criticize or judge. Everyone has the
right to be themself, just as you have the right to be yourself.
Respect, don’t impose, criticize, or judge

5. Step 4.!
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Go for the positive topics. Rather than talk about the coffee
that spilled this morning, talk about that place you are
looking forward to visit soon. It’s okay to talk about
“negative” topics once in a while, but only when you feel it is
okay with the other party and when it has a specific purpose.
Focus on the positives.

6. Step 5.!
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Everyone is different. There are always commonalities across
people. For the differences, embrace them. They make all of
us unique. Agree to disagree if there are clashes in ideas. As
you talk to the other person, look for commonalities between
you and them. Once you find a common link, build on it.
Embrace differences while building
on commonalities.

7. Step 6.!
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• What drives you in life?
• What are your goals for the next year?
• What inspired you to make this change?
• Who is your favorite artist and why?
• What book do you recommend I read?
Ask purposeful questions.

8. Step 7.!
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Reciprocity in social psychology refers to responding to a positive action
with another positive action, rewarding kind actions. As a social
construct, reciprocity means that in response to friendly actions, people
are frequently much nicer and much more cooperative than predicted by
the self-interest model; conversely, in response to hostile actions they are
frequently much more nasty and even brutal.
Law of Reciprocity.
Reference:
Wikipedia

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