When I was a teenager (many years ago!), one of the best parts about the Sunday newspaper was an insert that contained a short section about a particular celebrity and provided their answers to a series of questions. It somehow made them more human, more like me. I knew their favorite movie, book, song even words; all things that I believed gave me insight to how they lived their life.
Even in those pre-social media days, those articles influenced the economy and industry. The books they liked became the books we bought. If they liked a movie or a song, that influenced our own cultural choices. These weren’t paid endorsements like commercials. We believed, albeit naively that this was indeed who they were. We believed we could be more like them if we shared the same preferences and experiences.
I enjoyed a similar experience watching interviews on the television show, Inside the Actor’s Studio. A show where a man (James Lipton) asks a series of questions of famous people. A format that has been and continues to be incredibly successful.
Why do we care? I believe that it is more than just wanting to be like them. I believe it is because at the core, we want to connect. The combination of interview questions specific to the person based on some very skilled research and a set of standard questions asked of every guest really brings that person into our realm of life.
You may find you like someone better, or perhaps not as much. But always you feel as if you now have some insider information that means you know them. While you could argue that in fact we do not really know them, there does seem to be some insight into the “why” of their life. It creates a bond that translates into that connection and in many cases converts us from mere fans to advocates of their personal causes.
This is an interesting idea when we think about our own connection within our daily lives. What if we allowed that same level of curiosity to come into play about the humanity of those we interact with everyday? When was the last time you asked someone about the last book they read that left an impression? Or what movie has recently touched their heart? Do you know your child’s favorite word? Their favorite sound? What if we allowed ourselves to peer in a bit to learn what we could do to better connect with them inside their world?
What questions would you ask? What knowledge would help you create more value? Do you make certain that you gain personal insights for those in your daily circles?
Questions are a powerful tool. They can change our perspective as well as those answering. And in changing our perspectives, we change everything.
Not sure where to begin? What do you think they would like you to know? Maybe just start there.
Live (Connect) today like you want tomorrow to be. Live (Connect) well.