Work-Safe Versions of the Closeness Questions
Use a few graded, work-appropriate questions that go a bit deeper each time, and answer them yourself too.
The 36 questions reliably raise closeness in lab pairs; work-safe adaptations have not been tested.
Why it works
Closeness comes from turn-taking disclosure that grows slowly. A few prepared questions save you from freezing.
How to do it
- Keep three questions ready, light to deeper.
- Ask one, answer it yourself as well.
- Go deeper only if they warm up.
- Skip anything about family or money in a first meeting.
What to say
What is a project you are proud of?
Who taught you the most in your career?
What would make this year a good year for you?
Avoid
Reading the list like a quiz. Weave one question into the talk at a natural pause.
Example
Over dinner at a Kochi spice board event, Devendra asked a trader who taught him the most. The trader talked about his uncle for ten minutes, and they swapped numbers after.
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