How to Talk to Earthlings
summary
Argues that management is about building people not products and borrows concrete user-research techniques to make one-on-ones usable: stop talking and count to four when someone pauses, use reflective questions that repeat the speaker's words, prefer ask for stories over hypothetical futures, and write notes that separate insights from observations. Claims monthly one-on-ones, these specific habits and servant leadership practices expose root causes and produce actionable follow-ups rather than vague promises.
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chapters (15)
- 0:00Start
- 4:27Not listening
- 6:13STAY QUIET
- 8:05Can you tell me more about ...?
- 9:43Asking about the future
- 11:05Ask for stories
- 11:55Leading questions
- 12:52Ask open questions
- 13:27Being disrespectful
- 14:45Be polite
- 15:51Remember your body language
- 17:01Trusting your memory
- 17:42Write up your notes
- 18:28Insights vs. Observations
- 21:27STALK before you TALK before you SELL before you BUILD
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