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3 questions to ask in 3 awkward situations

3 questions to ask in 3 awkward situations

Time to Read:  44 seconds

3 questions to ask in 3 awkward situations

1. How to understand what someone means by a word they use.

e.g. “We need to improve communications.”

Your question: “What kind of communications?”

Using the words ‘kind of’ is clear, gentle and always gets a definition in response.

2. How to stop someone dumping their stuff on you.

You see him or her approaching – their single outcome being for you to own their problem.

Listen to them and during a pause look them in the eyes say “Thank you, and what are you going to do about it?”

This makes it clear the ownership is theirs and not yours, and moves the focus away from whether they are going to do something, to what they are going to do.

3. How to turn an “I don’t know” into “Actually, I do.

You: “What do you think we should do?”

Other person: “I don’t know.”

You: “If you did know, what would you say?”

This tricks the subconscious into believing that someone does actually know and they are very likely to answer accordingly.

Please do let me know how you get on – I am always keen to learn.

With my love and best wishes

David
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