Interview Your Way to More AUM


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Terry Gross is an expert interviewer. She’s the host of NPR’s popular Fresh Air program, where she has interviewed thousands of people for over 40 years. In an article by Jolie Kerr in the New York Times, Gross divulged her interview secrets.

When I read them, I was struck by how they validated the research underlying the process that I advocate.

Here are the tips you can use to interview your way to more AUM.

The opener

Gross recommends starting a conversation by asking, Tell me about yourself. I agree. Her goal, she said, is “to find out how her subject became who they are.” That should be your goal in your initial meeting with a prospect as well.

I do have this caveat. You need to be aware that introverts and extroverts will respond differently to this query. Introverts are more wary. They don’t like talking about themselves. A typical response might be, “What would you like to know?” If you get that response, you need to be prepared for a soft follow-up, like, “Anything that would help me get to know you better.”

It’s much easier with an extrovert. Extroverts love to talk about themselves. They’re likely to regale you with stories about their life experiences. Your goal is to stay focused, listen intently and ask appropriate follow-up questions.