Having Conversations

What is a conversation? It's essentially talking, especially informally between two or more people, in which news and ideas are exchanged. Conversation is the spoken exchange of ideas, observations, opinions, or feelings between people.

Start the conversation

  • What would you like to talk about today?
  • How have things been going since we last met?
  • What have you achieved since we last met?
  • What shall we focus on today in this meeting? 
  • What's going well for you at present?
  • Where would you like to start today?
  • How about we start reviewing your goals?
  • What's been happening since we last met/spoke?
  • What do you want to get out of this meeting? 
  • What would you like to discuss today?
  • What do you want to achieve from today's meeting?
  • How about we look at...?
  • Tell me a bit more about what's going on?

Keep the conversation going

  • So, what would happen if...?
  • What are your thoughts about...?
  • What could your next step be?
  • How can I help?
  • Tell me more about...
  • How important is it for you to...
  • Who else can help you with this? 
  • How will you know when you have succeeded/achieved what you set out to do?
  • How do you feel about what we have discussed so far? 

Finish the meeting

  • What are you going to do before our next meeting?
  • how do you feel about what we have discussed today?
  • What can you do before we meet next?
  • What do you want to work on next?
  • What questions do you still have?
  • What is the next step for you? 
  • What is the next step for me?
  • Let's confirm the day and time for our next meeting. 

Checking In

Paraphrasing (re-stating to check meaning)

  • So what you mean is that...?
  • If I heard you correctly, you said...?
  • So you want to know if...?
  • Am I right that you are asking about...?
 

Probing (the act of exploring and searching)

  • What is another way that you could approach this...?
  • What do you think would happen if...?
  • Why do you think...?
  • How did you decide to...?
  • What could you do differently...?
 

Clarifying and Summarising (to understand) 

  • Could you explain that in more detail...?
  • Tell me a bit more about what you mean...
  • So you think that...?
  • Tell me more about that...