Don't Talk About Yourself So Much

There was a time in my life where I admit...I needed notes to keep a phone conversation going. Oh, I can talk and anyone who knows me, knows that. Yes, I was a junior higher and quite nervous on the phone. However, I learned early on, that it is smart to get people talking about themselves. To do this you need to be able to get people to open up. My dad gave me 4 H-words to get people talking about themselves that I have found useful. It also helped for him to lead by example. In no particular order here they are: HISTORY- get people to talk about where they were born, places they lived, growing up, and the like. HOME- what was there up bringing like, parents, memories, and traditions. HOBBIES- pretty self explanatory. What drives them to do what they like and how they got hooked on their activities. Finally...HOPES-what are the hopes and dreams they have. These 4-H words will be very helpful in getting people to focus on those they are in conversation with. It would be easy to talk about yourself, but really, talking about yourself all the time can be redundant. So, the best way to keep conversations going is getting the person you are talking too keep talking. So, there you have it. History, hopes, hobbies, and home are great ways to learn about people.