10 ways to have a better conversation | Celeste Headlee:

Just wanted to share this TED talk, as I found it really interesting and useful.

Here are the points she covered.

1. Don’t Multitask- Do not think about something else you would rather do, or be on your mobile...
2. Don’t Pontificate - enter every conversation thinking that you have something to learn (set aside your personal opinion)
3. Use Open-ended questions -"What was that like?" "How does that feel?"
4. Go with the flow - Keep in the moment, if you thought of something there and then, say it out there and then. If you wait, then it's too late. 
5. If you don’t know, say you don’t know.
6. Don’t equate your experience with theirs- it’s not the same, it’s never the same. All experiences are individual. It’s not about you.
7. Try not to repeat yourself. It’s condescending and boring.
8. Stay out of the weeds - forget the details, leave them out. The detail's are not as interesting as you as a person.
9. Listen with the intend to understand rather than the intend to response.
10. Be brief

I find that these same points will help me in my children's magic shows and whenever I talk to children. By keeping the focus on children and by OWLing, I believe that the children will find that I am interested in what they are saying. This is especially when I am performing magic to children as I am not just showing them a magic trick but am having a conversation with children