How Conversation Works

Question 0

What 5 steps can be done to share the conversation work?

Answer 0

1. Ask fair share of questions
2. Conversational multitasking
3. Help others ask you questions
4. Pay attention to openings others give
5. Offer & pick up interesting topics

Question 1

What 6 things should both parties do to make conversation feel less like work?

Answer 1

1. Ask questions
2. Provide answers
3. Introduce new topics
4. Pick up topics
5. Tell good stories
6. Help good stories

Question 2

What is conversational multitasking?

Answer 2

Process what a person is saying while thinking of follow up questions

Question 3

What can you do to help others ask you questions?

Answer 3

Put something on the table you think they will find interesting

Question 4

What can you do to offer interesting topics to people you don’t know well?

Answer 4

Have a couple of interesting topics on hand that are not hot button political issues, but specialized interest stories

Question 5

What can you do to offer interesting topics with people you know we’ll?

Answer 5

1. Tell a story you think they will find interesting

2. Follow up on something talked about earlier

Question 6

Why are routine greeting questions Important when starting a conversation?

Answer 6

Without them a question feels abrupt, intimate, or like a power play

Question 7

What should you do when introducing yourself to others?

Answer 7

Provide a context for introducing yourself (like “___ invited me and I don’t know anyone else here” and create an opening

Question 8

What are 5 conversational signals that it is someone else’s turn to talk?

Answer 8

1. pause/silence
2. Question
3. Trailing off…
4. Hand gestures quieting down or signaling towards other person
5. Eye contact (often flit up when I talking and make eye contact when done

Question 9

When is simultaneous talk friendly?

Answer 9

If providing positive feedback

Question 10

When is simultaneous talk unfriendly?

Answer 10

If changes the topic

Question 11

What is back-channeling?

Answer 11

Listening noises like “uh-huh”, “yeah”, “wow”, “huh”, and nodding

Question 12

Why is back-channeling important?

Answer 12

Shows you listen and disagree

Question 13

How and why do you want to adjust back-channeling if you disagree?

Answer 13

Use words like mm and hm, otherwise it feels shocking when you disagree

Question 14

What is not back-channeling interpreted as?

Answer 14

A power play

Question 15

How can you help the speaker when you are in an audience?

Answer 15

Nodding to show agreement

Question 16

What are 3 signs you are dominating the talk time too much?

Answer 16

1. You are talking and no one is back-channeling
2. At the end of a conversation you find yourself saying “I’ve been doing all the talking, what about you?
3. At the end of e conversation you realize you know very little about the other person

Question 17

What happens if you say um or well then give a preferred response?

Answer 17

Sends mixed response, listener is not likely to believe you