The power of staying silent

When someone pauses mid-story, everything in you wants to fill the gap. Don't. That pause is where the real memories surface. Give them space to find the words.

Most people will keep talking if you just wait. The first answer is the surface answer. The pause is where they decide whether to go deeper. Your silence tells them it's safe to.

Nod. Make eye contact. But don't speak. Three seconds of silence feels like an eternity but it's where the magic happens.

If they go off on a tangent, let them. The tangent is often the story. You can always come back to the question later.

The best interviewers in the world all say the same thing: the skill isn't in the asking, it's in the listening.