Follow-Up Questions Make People Like You
Ask more questions, and make most of them follow-ups on what the person just said.
Several studies in one strong paper, including real speed dates; the effect came mainly from follow-up questions.
Why it works
Follow-ups prove you listened and care about the answer. People who asked more follow-ups were liked more and got more second dates, yet people underestimate this.
How to do it
- Set a target: two follow-ups before you change topic.
- Use their words in the question.
- Ask how, what and why, not yes or no.
- Answer their questions too; do not hide behind yours.
What to say
What made you choose that?
How did the team take that change?
And then what happened?
Avoid
Switch questions that jump to a new topic every time, which feel like a checklist.
Example
When a dairy founder said retention was his headache, Sanjay asked which roles, then why those, then what he had tried. By the end, the founder asked Sanjay for a proposal.
Practise it
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