Ask questions. That simple rule is the core of what I share here. I tell you that most people go into talks ready to speak. They have a story, a gripe, an opinion. I do the opposite. I coach you to ask things like, “What brought you here?” “How’d you get into that?” and “What happened next?” Those small questions change the mood. They make the other person feel heard. They shift the talk away from you and toward them. You don’t need to act like a detective. You just need to be curious and show you care. I point out that the best conversationalists are not always the loudest or funniest. They are the ones who make you feel what you say matters. Take that rule, use these sample questions, and notice how your talks become calmer and more real.