In this Christmas special of The Ag Tribes Report, I pause the weekly news breakdown to share a chapter-in-progress from my upcoming book on interest-based communicating—practical ways to create deeper, more meaningful conversations over the holidays and beyond. I tell the story of a second mate who taught me it’s better to be interested than interesting, then walk through how presence turns conversations into a kind of meditation: put the phone away, make eye contact, breathe, and really listen. I cover common pitfalls like fast matching and internal tripping, why mirroring has its place, and simple tools that change everything—body-language feedback, the three-word prompt “tell me more,” and question types that draw people out, like “beautiful questions,” contrast questions, and spotting “tiny choices” in a story. I also explain why “how” beats “why” for uncovering real motivations, and close with a reminder about the law of mutual self-disclosure: don’t ask questions you wouldn’t answer yourself. Whether you’re talking with grandparents, welcoming a new in-law, or trying to better connect with employees and vendors, this episode offers specific, repeatable techniques to help you listen with attention, ask with intention, and discover the kind of shared insight that makes conversations memorable—and relationships stronger.

For more on Interest Based Communication: https://www.vancecrowe.com/interest-based-communication
For a Legacy Interview: https://www.legacyinterviews.com/