Creating connections with other people can be a great feeling. There are some people that you instantly feel in sync, others it may take some effort. For those where it doesn’t come instantly, finding common ground can help.
I used to travel to various business offices to attend meetings. Often afterwards I would be at lunch or dinner with the group. Most of the time those with me knew each other for a length of time, and I was the only newbie.
Being that I like to get people engaged, I would ask the group the question, “What can you share us that no one at the table knows about you?”
It was always interesting to watch the reaction to this. As in school when the teacher asked a question, some peoples’ eyes would quickly divert to look at anything but me. That included the salt and pepper shaker. Others would begin to think about what interesting tidbit they could offer.
The first person usually would share something that others who knew them found surprising. That usually set the tone for the group. Others too wanted to offer something interesting.
Inevitably, as we went around the table the energy of the group increased. Questions would be offered to dive further into someone’s story. Someone might have a similar experience they would share. By the time we made it around the table, each person had new insights into people they may have thought they knew.
I don’t find myself at these business dinners as often, but I still use this technique when I am in a group. I may choose to ask a different question such as “Who did you have a teenage crush on?” Yes, I ask that to men and women.
Finding common ground and opening your eyes past what you know about the person on the surface can be fun and set new connections that you never thought of.
Share below, who was your teenage crush? Mine was Shaun Cassidy and Scott Baio. I used to hang Tiger Beat & Teen Beat pictures on my wall. Go ahead…let’s connect, tell me who was yours!!!!