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Another example, one prominent woman executive confesses that at business lunches, "I always ask people what they did that morning. It's a dull question, but it gets things going." From there, you can move on to other matters, sometimes to really personal questions. Moreover, how your responder answers will let you know how far you can go. A few simple catchwords like "Really?" "Yes?" are clear invitations to continue talking. Second, once good talkers have asked questions, they listen for answers. This point seems obvious, but isn't in fact. Making people feel comfortable isn't simply a matter of making idle conversation. |