Member-only story
That’s so interesting
How three little words can make your conversations better
“That’s so interesting” R says to about the 300th thing I have told her that day. See R and I have very little in common. There is literally nothing in our backgrounds that is the same. Different religions. Different beliefs. Different upbringings. However I can talk to her for hours.
How? Because R knows how to be a great conversationalist. She listens and then responds. Not only does she do this but she responds in ways that make you want to share more. Responses such as: “Really?” “What is this holiday about? “What happened next?” “That’s so interesting.” And she is genuinely interested.
When you respond to what someone says with “that’s so interesting,” it encourages the other person to keep going. To share more. To continue being vulnerable because they know that the other person won’t shut them down or judge them. And so they keep sharing.
And this happens in one conversation. And then another. And then another. Until you have both shared enough that a friendship has developed between two very unlikely friends.
And frankly, I find that “so interesting.”