Want to cut through small talk? Try asking a 'magical question'
toggle caption Anjali Kamat for NPR
What's the weirdest thing you've ever found in your pocket? What topic could you give a 20-minute talk on with no preparation? What's a path you almost took but didn't?
If you find yourself immediately wanting to reply to these queries, there's a reason, says Priya Parker, a conflict resolution facilitator. They were designed to spark curiosity and elicit a response. She calls them "magical questions."
"A magical question is a question that everyone in your group is interested in answering" and hearing the answers to, says Parker, who hosts a video series on the topic on her Instagram page.
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