Finding Common Ground

I cannot tell you how many times I’ve started a conversation with someone based on what’s on their t-shirt.

Don’t get me wrong, though. I am not one to judge a book by its cover, but when I see someone wearing something like a Radiohead t-shirt or any other band I like, I always have to say something.

How do you initiate a conversation?

This actually happened recently after I took a quick motorcycle ride to the local ice cream stand in town. When it comes to predictable weather patterns, it is safe to say Ohio should see a shrink, because it seems bipolar. It went from raining almost a week straight to a scorching 90-degree three-day stretch of which I was currently in the middle. The cure to beat the heat, you ask? That would be a 64-ounce Blue Moon milkshake.

After ordering my monstrously large dairy treat, I noticed that a guy in the group of people in line behind me was wearing a Radiohead t-shirt from their 2008 show at Blossom Music Center, one of the first real concerts I attended. A tiny bud of excitement burst, and almost instantaneously I blurted out, “Did you like their new album?” Low and behold, a conversation was started. We must have talked for about a half-hour, not only about the concert we both attended but about our musical tastes, jobs and multiple other interests. A great conversation with a stranger at a roadside ice cream stand started with finding common ground.

At Incept, when I’m recruiting blood donors, I try to use the exact same approach. Granted, I cannot see the person that I am talking with to tell them, “Hey, cool t-shirt.” Nonetheless, I can try to connect with them by being conversational and, in my short time on the phone with them, find common ground to strengthen the relationship. The short tale of a meeting of the musical-minded variety above is just one of the many different examples of finding commonalities with another person that lead to having productive conversations that produce meaningful results.

My challenges to you is to try to find someone randomly in public, and do what I did. Put your conversational skills to the test by trying to find something in common to talk about…

How do you attempt to break the ice when starting a conversation?

Photo Credit: http://www.whatupgoingon.com