10 Ways to have better

conversation

Based on a TEDx talk by:Celeste Headlee

Host | Public Radio International

Reporter for Day to Day

Alumni

Michigan Opera Theatre

“A good conversation is like a mini skirt; short enough to retain attention but long enough to cover the subject.” – Celeste Headlee

Do we avoid people?

Conversation requires a balance between talking & listening

Technology has had a lot to do with this

Over a third of American teenagers send about more than 100 texts in a day

Also these teenagers are more likely to text their friends than talk to them face to face

Conversational competence is the single-most overlooked

thing

In this 21st century, there is no single most important things than having a

good conversation.

10 Simple ways to have a better conversation

1. Don’t multi- taskBe present in the conversation, don’t think

about any previous arguments or future events

2. Don’t pontificateIf you want to state your opinion without any

opportunity for response or argument or pushback or growth, write a blog

3. Use open- ended questionsTry asking things like, "What was that like?"

"How did that feel?" Because then they might have to stop for a moment and think about it,

and you're going to get a much more interesting response.

4. Go with the flowThat means thoughts will come into your mind and you need to let them go out of your mind.

4. Go with the flowThat means thoughts will come into your mind and you need to let them go out of your mind.

5. If you don't know, say that you don't know

Be more careful about what you claim to be an expert in and what you claim to know for sure

6. Don’t equate your experiences with theirs

If they're talking about having lost a family member, don't start talking about the time you

lost a family member

7. Try not to repeat yourselfDon’t keep rephrasing it over and over

8. Stay out of the weedsPeople don't care about the years, the names,

the dates, all those details that you're struggling to come up with in your mind

9. This is not the last one, but it is the most important oneBuddha said, and I'm paraphrasing, "If your

mouth is open, you're not learning."

10. Be briefA good conversation is like a miniskirt; short enough to retain interest, but long enough to

cover the subject

To conclude,

Go out, talk to people, listen to people, and, most importantly, be prepared to be

amazed

Thank You

https://www.ted.com/talks/celeste_headlee_10_ways_to_have_a_better_conversation#t-

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These slides are created by Shubhanka Malpani, IIM Lucknow, as part of an MBA course, Personal Branding (www.MBAskills.in), taught by Prof. Sameer Mathur.

Prof. Sameer MathurIIM Lucknow, Marketing Professor, 2013-PresentMcGill University, Marketing Professor, 2009-13

Carnegie Mellon, Ph.D. and M.S. Marketing, 2003-09

Salonee ChitlangiaIIM Lucknow, PGDM, 2014-16