We Need to Talk
by Celeste Headlee
A radio host's ten rules for better conversation: be present, do not pontificate, ask open questions, go with the flow, admit what you do not know, do not equate your experience with theirs, stay out of the weeds, listen, be brief. It is short and practical, built from her popular talk.
Read it if…
you want to be a better conversationalist quickly.
Skip it if…
you want depth on difficult conversations; see Stone and Heen.
Three things you will actually use
- Listen more than you speak.
- Do not match their story with yours.
- Keep it short; people remember brevity.
Do this first
In your next conversation, ask three open questions and share nothing about yourself unless asked.
Our verdict
Brief and useful; conversation rules that work.
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