The Method of "Tell Me More"

The process of “tell me more” is very helpful when attempting to understand a person’s thoughts or feelings. When you ask a person to “tell me more” you get more information than you otherwise would have gotten from the individual. After using this method I asked the individual how it made them feel. They responded that it made them feel like I was more engaged and interested in their conversation. They were more willing to tell me more information because they felt that I actually cared and wanted to know.

I think that negotiators and lawyers in general can learn a lot from this process. Our profession relies heavily on information given to us. That is, we rely on information given to us by our colleagues, our clients, our employers, and the court in the handling of our cases and the strategies we employ. Prying more into topics by saying “tell me more” allows you to gain insight that you may not have otherwise gained. It may lead to clients telling you more information that, while they felt was unimportant, is critical to the case at hand. Practitioners should rely on this method and employ it often.