Stop Asking, 'How Are You?'

I bet you had a conversation like this already today...

"How are you?"

"Good."

"How are you?"

"Fine."

It's a script that we continue to stick to.

I was recently working out and one of the personal trainers, Prince, was cleaning some equipment. We both looked up and made eye contact at the same time. I thought Prince was going to ask me, "How are you?"

Instead, he asked something different. He said, "What are you working on today?" It caught me off guard because I didn't think we were going to have a conversation.

After I thought about his question for a moment, I responded, "You know what? I'm actually working on redesigning a college course called Organizational Behavior."

Then, I asked Prince, "What are you working on today?" He replied that he is working on prospecting for new personal training clients.

What are some engaging questions that you ask others?

For example... When riding in an Uber or a Lyft, some of the best drivers simply ask, "Where are you from?" When I get home from work, my wife, Rachel, always inquires, "What good happened in your day today?"

ACTION: Share with us one of your top questions that you use to ensure some dialogue versus a monologue.

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