

717: A Key Tactic for Way Better Conversations, with Alison Wood Brooks
79 snips Jan 27, 2025
Join Alison Wood Brooks, a Harvard Business School professor and conversation expert, as she shares insights from her book, *Talk: The Science of Conversation and the Art of Being Ourselves*. Discover how preparing conversation topics can transform small talk into meaningful exchanges. Alison advocates for curiosity in social interactions and explains that the skillful management of topics is crucial for engaging dialogues. Learn how even the simplest conversations can lead to deeper connections, making you a more effective communicator.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Conversation Importance
- Good conversations are essential for strong relationships.
- We often struggle with conversations, even seemingly easy ones.
Topic Preparation
- Prepare conversation topics in advance, even briefly.
- This reduces anxiety and helps land on mutually interesting subjects.
Resistance to Topic Prep
- Many people resist topic preparation, believing it makes conversations feel forced.
- However, those same people often enjoy conversations where others used prepared topics.