84 PowerPhrases in Action
Sometimes people are looking for just a simple “I’m fine.”
So keep your response short, but long enough to invite them
into your world. While they may be surprised when you tell
them about the great deal you just got on your new shoes, you
might just make a new friend. If they are interested in getting
to know you, they certainly will welcome the gift of a little extra
information.
Give a little extra information and give the listener room to
respond.
PowerPhrases to Perfect the
Connection Are Specific
I understand why some people find small talk so boring. Often
it is the exchange of empty phrases with very little meaning and
don’t hold interest at all. We habitually put on a social face and
leave ourselves at home. But it doesn’t have to be that way! You
can be creative and specific and learn something you didn’t
know from someone you met two minutes ago.
The man sitting next to me on an airplane was looking
through a toy catalog and tore out a few pages of the ads. I
noticed some were girls’ toys and some were for boys, so I asked,
You’ve got a girl and a boy?He replied,
I have a girl and three boys, but I also work for a toy
manufacturer.The conversation that followed was interesting and specific. It
was not a conversation I could have had with just anyone. It