How to become an interesting conversationalist

Welcome back to Words that Work, a 5-part series to help you become a dangerously effective communicator.

Here’s what we’ve covered so far:

1. How to get busy people to respond to your emails

2. How to handle interruptions, objections, and conflicts in any conversation or presentation

3. How to negotiate—the friendly way

4. How to deliver speeches that inspire

Here’s what we’re looking at in the final installment of this series…

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How to become an interesting conversationalist—4 techniques that actually work

Becoming a great conversationalist isn’t about how much you say or how impressive you are. It’s about connecting with another person in an authentic way.

Here are four simple ideas on becoming an interesting and likeable conversationalist. Put them to use, and they’ll help you become the kind of person people enjoy talking with.

1. Stop asking people, “What do you do?”

There are a million and a half reasons why you shouldn’t ask people what they do for a living: they may hate their work, they may be embarrassed to talk about it, or they might be in between jobs, just to name a few.

• Instead of asking: “What do you do?”

• Ask: “How do you spend most of your time?”