Technique #23 The Latest News . . . Don’t Leave Home Without It

The last move to make before leaving for the party—

even after you've given yourself final approval in the

mirror—is to turn on the radio news or scan your

newspaper. Anything that happened today is good

material. Knowing the big-deal news of the moment is

also a defensive move that rescues you from putting

your foot in your mouth by asking what everybody's

talking about. Foot-in-mouth is not very tasty in

public, especially when it's surrounded by egg-on-face.

Sidney told me she had a house rule when she was in business.

All of her female "independent contractors" were directed to keep

up with the daily news so they could be good conversationalists

with their clients. This was not just Sidney's whim. Feedback from

her employees had revealed that 60 percent of her girls' work hour

was spent in chatting and only 40 percent in satisfying the customers' needs. Thus she instructed them to read the daily newspaper or listen to a radio broadcast before leaving for an

Technique #23

The Latest News . . . Don't Leave Home

Without It

The last move to make before leaving for the party—

even after you've given yourself final approval in the

mirror—is to turn on the radio news or scan your

newspaper. Anything that happened today is good

material. Knowing the big-deal news of the moment is

also a defensive move that rescues you from putting

your foot in your mouth by asking what everybody's

talking about. Foot-in-mouth is not very tasty in

public, especially when it's surrounded by egg-on-face.

02 (043-92B) part two 8/14/03 9:17 AM Page 90

appointment. Sidney told me when she initiated this rule, her business increased significantly. Reports came back from her clients

complimenting her on the fascinating women she had working for

her. The consummate businesswoman, Ms. Barrows always strove

to exceed her customers' expectations.

Ready for the big leagues of conversation? Let's go.