Alison Wood Brooks

You don't need to have a deep conversation with the barista at Starbucks. But you could maybe give them a compliment or ask about their kid, right? If it's the same person you're seeing every day and get into that medium second tier of the pyramid. But I do want to push you and everyone on this idea of like, it doesn't have to be shallow.

You don't need to have a deep conversation with the barista at Starbucks. But you could maybe give them a compliment or ask about their kid, right? If it's the same person you're seeing every day and get into that medium second tier of the pyramid. But I do want to push you and everyone on this idea of like, it doesn't have to be shallow.

And you never know when something that seems like a small talk conversation could become something more.

And you never know when something that seems like a small talk conversation could become something more.

And you never know when something that seems like a small talk conversation could become something more.

Yeah, or not. Maybe take a rest. Don't talk to anybody tomorrow. Yeah, exhaustion is real. So I think all of this stuff, thinking about how to have great conversations, how to really connect with people. One thing that has become clear through our research is it does require a tremendous amount of energy and effort.

Yeah, or not. Maybe take a rest. Don't talk to anybody tomorrow. Yeah, exhaustion is real. So I think all of this stuff, thinking about how to have great conversations, how to really connect with people. One thing that has become clear through our research is it does require a tremendous amount of energy and effort.

Yeah, or not. Maybe take a rest. Don't talk to anybody tomorrow. Yeah, exhaustion is real. So I think all of this stuff, thinking about how to have great conversations, how to really connect with people. One thing that has become clear through our research is it does require a tremendous amount of energy and effort.

You even just listening, your mind is wandering 24% of the time, even when you're trying to listen attentively. So to be a good listener, it takes a lot of energy, a lot of focus. And we're not always... prepared, we don't always have that energy.

You even just listening, your mind is wandering 24% of the time, even when you're trying to listen attentively. So to be a good listener, it takes a lot of energy, a lot of focus. And we're not always... prepared, we don't always have that energy.

You even just listening, your mind is wandering 24% of the time, even when you're trying to listen attentively. So to be a good listener, it takes a lot of energy, a lot of focus. And we're not always... prepared, we don't always have that energy.

So I think giving yourself grace about that and giving others grace about sort of social and conversational fatigue is also really important, particularly in this world where we're constantly toggling between text threads and emails and phone calls and Zoom calls and in-person conversations. We're sort of having more conversation

So I think giving yourself grace about that and giving others grace about sort of social and conversational fatigue is also really important, particularly in this world where we're constantly toggling between text threads and emails and phone calls and Zoom calls and in-person conversations. We're sort of having more conversation

So I think giving yourself grace about that and giving others grace about sort of social and conversational fatigue is also really important, particularly in this world where we're constantly toggling between text threads and emails and phone calls and Zoom calls and in-person conversations. We're sort of having more conversation

across all different modes of communication than ever before in human history. So the fatigue, the drain on our energy that comes from that is very, very real and should be taken seriously.

across all different modes of communication than ever before in human history. So the fatigue, the drain on our energy that comes from that is very, very real and should be taken seriously.

across all different modes of communication than ever before in human history. So the fatigue, the drain on our energy that comes from that is very, very real and should be taken seriously.

What a lovely question. I sometimes think of conversation as this sort of journey that you're going on, a sort of relentless search process where you're searching for deep, meaningful moments where you get to the peak of that topic pyramid, where you feel like, oh, we did it, we did the thing, where we feel really...

What a lovely question. I sometimes think of conversation as this sort of journey that you're going on, a sort of relentless search process where you're searching for deep, meaningful moments where you get to the peak of that topic pyramid, where you feel like, oh, we did it, we did the thing, where we feel really...

What a lovely question. I sometimes think of conversation as this sort of journey that you're going on, a sort of relentless search process where you're searching for deep, meaningful moments where you get to the peak of that topic pyramid, where you feel like, oh, we did it, we did the thing, where we feel really...