So, What Do You Do?
Two people came into a restaurant and walked up to the bar. While it sounds like the setup for a joke, what’s about to happen is much more serious.
My friend and New York Times Best Selling Author, Joel Comm, has a favorite question for times like these –
So, What Do You Do?
Asking that simple question can propel hours of conversation – as proven by my client.
While attending an event, she was standing at a bar when the gentleman next to her asked, “So what do you do?”
Her quick response was to say, “Anything I want!”
Obviously, her answer caused question marks to rise from her new friend’s ears as curiosity rose.
Frankly, my client’s answer wasn’t the defacto narrative she had spewed for years. She’s nearing an early retirement, and her next phase is unclear. Still, she knew one thing— she wasn’t going to talk about the past and that scared her to death.
She was also fearful of what others will think, say, and do about her response. She should not have been.
Asking, “So, what do you do” is an excellent door-openers that allow us to not talk about ourselves and express interest in others – something everybody loves. It’s also an opportunity for you to give an honest answer that will likely stimulate the imagination of the person you are speaking to.
Talk about a great conversation starter.