I’m writing this at a Starbucks near my house. There are 12 customers: An older couple are sitting together. He’s quietly eating a breakfast sandwich, and she’s talking to him nonstop. One guy is reading his Bible. Five people are sitting alone at separate tables – three staring at their phones, one on a laptop […]
communication
How to Start a Conversation – Part 1
I was browsing through an airport bookstore a few years ago, and a display by the register caught my eye. It was a rack of about 20 small booklets, kind of like a greeting card rack. Each booklet had the same title – except for one word: “How to Fake Your Way Through a Conversation […]
How to Remember Names – and Why It’s Important
I used to say, “I’m horrible at remembering names.” Unfortunately, I said it so often that I convinced myself it was true. If you introduced yourself to me, I’d immediately think, “I’m going to forget their name before this conversation is over.” And I did. For years, I believed remembering names just wasn’t part of […]