Question: Dale Carnegie’s 1936 bestseller, 'How to Win Friends and Influence People', suggests that you can, “Ask questions the other person will enjoy answering.” What’s one way that you can do this in a business setting?
- Tell stories about situations tangential to your topic of conversation.
- Require an explanation when projects go wrong.
- Ask for advice or an opinion.
Explanation
A useful business conversation encourages the other person to contribute something meaningful. Asking for perspective supports stronger rapport because it shows respect for the other person’s experience. In HubSpot’s inbound methodology, helpful conversations are centered on understanding people, not controlling the interaction. This approach can reveal context that improves collaboration and decision-making.
Why the other options are incorrect
Tangential stories is incorrect because unrelated stories can distract from the other person’s input.
Require an explanation is incorrect because it can sound accusatory and create defensiveness instead of rapport.
Source for verification
https://academy.hubspot.com/lessons/inbound-fundamentals
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