Curiosity is a wonderful trait for connecting with people - but what happens when the other person get a little too inquisitive and starts asking questions that feel like an interrogation? Or worse, use the curiosity against you in conversations you aren’t prepared for - especially on social media? I speak with Lisa Partridge, a communications specialist and founder of SIXCOMMS consultancy, which runs training programs for professionals looking to improve their communication skills. She runs “Connect and Reflect’ workshops, which encourage participants to get curious about their own goals and motivations, as well as the barriers that are holding them back.  She believes deeply in having both connection and curiosity as the perfect partners for great communication. Yet we also have been through instances where the inquisitiveness of others have just felt too intrusive. Where do we draw the fine balance?  In this episode, we ponder on the dark side of curiosity and how to get the art of curiosity right for authentic and genuine connections.    ******** Key topics in this episode: Her experience with a neighbourly curiosity, which quickly became quite intrusive How her own empathy and trust with others came from discomfort and self-growth  Listening is a powerful tool - sometimes more so than asking questions - to curiosityWhy “imposter syndrome” could be a barrier to authentic curiosityHow physical rituals/activities can help to psych one up for an open conversation Her thoughts on navigating language, biases as the dark side of curiosity - especially on social media How the concept of "meerkat moments" from the book, The Squiggly Career by Helen Tipper and Sarah Ellis, is her inspiration behind small acts of curiosity   ********** You can find more about Lisa here: Podcast: https://www.sixcomms.org/podcast Email: [email protected]    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisasing