A lawyer friend told me to just ask 'what happened next' during a tough conversation

My buddy Mike, a defense attorney in Dayton, gave me this tip for getting the truth out of someone who keeps dodging. He said instead of asking 'why' or accusing them, just say 'what happened next' after they finish a sentence. I tried it on a contractor who was giving me vague excuses about a project delay. Within three questions, he admitted he had lost the blueprints and was too embarrassed to say so. No more sugar coating, just the real story coming out because he felt safe to keep talking. Has anyone else used a simple phrasing trick like this that cut through the fluff?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_jesse9d ago

Tried this exact thing with my oldest kid when he kept dodging questions about his homework. Four "what happened next"s later and he admitted he'd left his backpack at a friend's house.

hannah2409d ago

Works like a charm. Kids hate silence more than they hate talking.