1 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:09,520 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning. 2 00:00:11,039 --> 00:00:17,360 Speaker 1: This is Laura, Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's 3 00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:23,040 Speaker 1: tip is to invite people to share good news. This 4 00:00:23,120 --> 00:00:27,720 Speaker 1: can lead to a more fruitful and positive conversation than 5 00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:31,680 Speaker 1: the usual how are you banter? We hear all day long. 6 00:00:34,200 --> 00:00:36,800 Speaker 1: If you pay attention, you will no doubt see that 7 00:00:36,880 --> 00:00:41,080 Speaker 1: you say some version of how's it going multiple times 8 00:00:41,080 --> 00:00:44,760 Speaker 1: per day. It can be formal, like with a team 9 00:00:44,880 --> 00:00:48,279 Speaker 1: icebreaker in a meeting, but that is also how we 10 00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:55,160 Speaker 1: greet kids, or friends, or even a regular barista. And 11 00:00:55,200 --> 00:00:59,360 Speaker 1: there's nothing wrong with this question. The problem is that 12 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:03,680 Speaker 1: almost everyone is going to answer fine or In this 13 00:01:03,800 --> 00:01:08,560 Speaker 1: day and age busy, none of these answers do much 14 00:01:08,600 --> 00:01:12,480 Speaker 1: to advance the conversation along. So why not tweak this 15 00:01:12,600 --> 00:01:16,800 Speaker 1: question just a little bit and specifically invite people to 16 00:01:16,840 --> 00:01:20,679 Speaker 1: share something good? For instance, the tell me what you've 17 00:01:20,680 --> 00:01:23,920 Speaker 1: been up to opening of a meeting could be asking 18 00:01:23,959 --> 00:01:28,160 Speaker 1: everyone to share a win from the last week. If 19 00:01:28,200 --> 00:01:31,880 Speaker 1: nothing else, the meeting is going to start with everyone 20 00:01:31,959 --> 00:01:36,160 Speaker 1: feeling like they are in a more positive frame of mind. Wow, 21 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:42,240 Speaker 1: this is a winning team. If you are leading a 22 00:01:42,360 --> 00:01:46,880 Speaker 1: Sunday school class, or a Girl Scout troop meeting. You 23 00:01:46,920 --> 00:01:50,160 Speaker 1: could likewise invite people to share the best thing that 24 00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:54,160 Speaker 1: happened since you last saw each other. Ask your Saturday 25 00:01:54,200 --> 00:01:57,040 Speaker 1: morning running buddies what was the highlight of their week. 26 00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:00,000 Speaker 1: If you run into a friend in the grocery store, 27 00:02:01,240 --> 00:02:05,520 Speaker 1: ask her what she most enjoyed cooking this week, Or 28 00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:08,560 Speaker 1: if you are meeting in the garden store, ask her 29 00:02:08,560 --> 00:02:11,120 Speaker 1: what's the prettiest thing growing in her yard right now. 30 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:16,200 Speaker 1: Little kids may be eager to share their good news, 31 00:02:16,400 --> 00:02:19,480 Speaker 1: but older kids and adults can sometimes need more of 32 00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:24,040 Speaker 1: an invitation. Maybe they don't want to boast, or maybe 33 00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:27,280 Speaker 1: they are sensitive to other people's struggles. They don't want 34 00:02:27,320 --> 00:02:30,800 Speaker 1: to draw attention to their own good fortune. I get that, 35 00:02:31,919 --> 00:02:35,120 Speaker 1: but regardless, when you invite people to tell you something good, 36 00:02:35,919 --> 00:02:40,440 Speaker 1: you give them license to amplify their own joy by 37 00:02:40,440 --> 00:02:44,760 Speaker 1: sharing it with you. Now, of course, for relationships to 38 00:02:44,800 --> 00:02:49,080 Speaker 1: be authentic, we need opportunities to share bad news as well. 39 00:02:50,440 --> 00:02:55,280 Speaker 1: Our lives are not all sunshine and smiles, so be 40 00:02:55,360 --> 00:02:58,840 Speaker 1: sure that you leave room in your close relationships for 41 00:02:58,919 --> 00:03:03,919 Speaker 1: talking about your whole life, not just the cheerful parts. 42 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:08,360 Speaker 1: And of course you need to read the room I 43 00:03:08,400 --> 00:03:11,840 Speaker 1: am not sure that a meeting about layoffs needs to 44 00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:15,480 Speaker 1: start with a discussion of people's wins. And if your 45 00:03:15,520 --> 00:03:19,639 Speaker 1: friend in the grocery store looks exhausted, maybe offering her 46 00:03:19,800 --> 00:03:23,760 Speaker 1: a kind word and wishing her a peaceful week is 47 00:03:23,800 --> 00:03:29,440 Speaker 1: more appropriate. But with those caveats in mind, sometimes, especially 48 00:03:29,480 --> 00:03:33,080 Speaker 1: in a quick how are you kind of exchange, asking 49 00:03:33,120 --> 00:03:35,600 Speaker 1: for a high can be a great way to connect 50 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:41,760 Speaker 1: over something specific and positive, and that can be a 51 00:03:41,920 --> 00:03:48,200 Speaker 1: very good thing. Indeed, in the meantime, this is Laura. 52 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:54,080 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening, and here's to making the most of 53 00:03:54,120 --> 00:04:03,680 Speaker 1: our time. Thanks for listening to Before Breakfast. If you've 54 00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:07,880 Speaker 1: got questions, ideas, or feedback, you can reach me at 55 00:04:07,920 --> 00:04:16,960 Speaker 1: Laura at Laura vandercam dot com. Before Breakfast is a 56 00:04:17,000 --> 00:04:21,760 Speaker 1: production of iHeartMedia. For more podcasts from iHeartMedia, please visit 57 00:04:21,800 --> 00:04:25,599 Speaker 1: the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to 58 00:04:25,640 --> 00:04:26,520 Speaker 1: your favorite shows.