According to Merriam-Webster, the word “conversation” has 36 synonyms, ranging from the alliterative (”confabulation”) to the arcane (”persiflage”). Why the linguistic profusion? Because conversing is a fundamental part — maybe the fundamental part — of being human.
We chat with our families, friends, strangers, and co-workers, and we communicate in phone calls, text messages, emails, and, occasionally, postcards. When these tête-à-têtes go well, it is oddly thrilling; we become better versions of ourselves — warmer and wiser, funnier, and consistently insightful. Best of all, a good dialogue is a direct route to connection. “The bond of all companionship,” wrote Oscar Wilde, “whether in marriage or in friendship, is conversation.”
But when a conversation goes poorly, when it stays on the surface (”what do you do for a living?”) or devolves into a sputtering mess of misunderstanding (”you’re overreacting!”), we don’t feel the invigorating pulse of connection. What we feel, instead, is the emotional equivalent of a busy signal.
So, this hour, we’re asking: how can we have better conversations? And to help answer that question, we’re joined by Charles Duhigg, a Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist and the bestselling author of “The Power of Habit” and now “Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection.” Charles, as you’ll hear, is something of supercommunicator himself, a lithe storyteller who’s as well-versed in evolutionary biology as he is in the latest psychology, and after studying the art and science of communication for the last few years, he’s concluded that anyone can become a great conversationalist. You just have to master a few simple skills. Tune in to find out what they are.
Host: Rufus Griscom
Guest: Charles Duhigg
Book: “Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection”
*THE NEXT BIG IDEA CLUB*
We all know that reading is the best investment we can make in ourselves, but figuring out what to read … well, that’s another matter. Which is why we started the Next Big Idea Club. We get the best new books — as chosen by our curators (Malcolm Gladwell, Adam Grant, Susan Cain, and Daniel Pink) — into the hands of curious people. Like you! Join us today at nextbigideaclub.com
SUCCESSION: The True Story Behind the Hit Show
ABOLISH POVERTY: Matthew Desmond on How We Can Do It
READING: Are We Forgetting How To Do It?
David Chalmers Thinks We May Be Living in a Simulation (and He’s OK With It)
Is AI Moving Too Fast? A Conversation With Kevin Roose
LIFE IS SHORT: The Upside of Death
MUSIC: What the Songs You Love Say About You
AI: The Origin Story
Not Finished Is Not Failure (from The Next Big Idea Daily)
CELLS: Siddhartha Mukherjee on the Breakthroughs That Are Revolutionizing Medicine
Introducing: The Next Big Idea Daily
PLEASURE: An Epicurean Guide to the Good Life
POWER FAILURE: What Happened to GE? (with Malcolm Gladwell & William Cohan)
DIET: The New Science of Healthy Eating
How to Develop Your Passions and Avoid Burnout (with Atul Gawande and Adam Grant)
FEELINGS: The Secret Power of Embracing Emotions at Work
SAPIENS: Yuval Noah Harari on Our Past, Present, and Future
ANALOG: Let’s Build a More Human World
SLEEP: How Understanding Your Body’s Clock Can Revolutionize Your Health
ANIMALS: They’re Smarter Than You Think
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