What 500 interviews taught me about communication

Six tips to improve how you listen, ask questions and connect with others

After more than 500 podcast interviews and well over 1,000 conversations for articles and other projects, I’ve learned that the most important communication skills have little to do with microphones or recording equipment. They come down to listening, curiosity and knowing which question to ask next.

I didn’t understand that when I started podcasting 20 years ago. Back in 2006, podcasting was still relatively new. My background in technology and my longtime love of audio made it a natural fit. I was also involved with Toastmasters, so creating a podcast seemed like an interesting way to combine technology, communication and leadership.

In those early days, I was fascinated by the technical side. I wanted to make sure the recording sounded good, the technology worked and the finished episode made its way into the world. Those things still matter, but somewhere along the way, my focus changed. I became less interested in the microphone and more interested in the person sitting on the other side of it.

That taught me lessons about communication that apply whether you’re interviewing someone, talking to a colleague, leading a meeting, dealing with a client or simply having a conversation with a friend.

Preparing for a podcast interview has a lot in common with preparing for a speech or an important meeting. You need to know where you want to go and understand your audience and what you want them to take away from the conversation.

I often compare interviewing to using a GPS. You know your destination, but the route can change depending on what appears along the way. Someone says something unexpected. A deeper story emerges. Suddenly, you have a decision to make: stick to your prepared route or follow the more interesting road.

There’s a difference between listening to understand what someone is saying and simply waiting for your opportunity to speak. Some of the best moments in interviews have happened because I abandoned the next question on my list and asked about something the guest had just said.

Early in my interviewing journey, I thought asking more questions made me a better interviewer. Then an editor I’ve worked with for many years gave me feedback I’ve never forgotten.

“Greg, you’re too interested.”

At first, I thought he was complimenting my curiosity. Then he laughed and pointed out that he hadn’t said I was interesting.

Message received.

His point wasn’t that curiosity was a problem. Quite the opposite. Curiosity is one of the most valuable tools any communicator has, but curiosity without focus can take you everywhere and nowhere.

Whether you’re writing a 750-word article, producing a 20-minute podcast or leading a 30-minute meeting, you can’t explore everything. You have to find what matters. Over time, I stopped thinking of interviewing as simply asking questions and started thinking of it as building a story.

What are you actually trying to understand? What does the other person need to understand? Which information matters and which is simply interesting?

The most important lesson I’ve learned is that the best question is often the one I didn’t prepare. Questions don’t simply gather information. They shape conversations. They signal curiosity, can build trust and can send a conversation in a completely different direction.

Often, it’s the simple follow-up: Why? What happened next? What do you mean by that? How did that affect you?

Those questions work because they come from listening rather than from a script. Instead of immediately offering your opinion or solution, ask one more question.

Listening also means making sure you’ve actually understood what the other person said. One technique I’ve learned is to summarize what someone has said before moving on. You might say, “So, if I understand you correctly…” and briefly summarize what you heard.

That gives the other person an opportunity to confirm your understanding or correct it and can also encourage them to go deeper. Many communication problems don’t happen because people disagree. They happen because people think they understand one another when they don’t. Taking a few seconds to confirm what you heard can prevent a much bigger misunderstanding later.

Interviewing has also taught me that being curious doesn’t automatically give me permission to ask anything I want. Some subjects are personal or difficult. Before asking a sensitive question, I’ve learned to consider why I’m asking it and whether answering it genuinely helps the conversation or the audience.

Sometimes it makes sense to ask permission. A simple approach is to explain why you’re asking and give the person the opportunity to decide whether they’re comfortable answering. Good communication isn’t just about getting information. It’s about creating enough trust for an honest conversation to happen.

Some of my most memorable interviews have also taught me about the power of stories. When mountaineer Sara Safari described surviving the Nepal earthquake while climbing Mount Everest, I could almost see the experience unfolding as she spoke.

There were no pictures in front of me. That was precisely the point. Audio requires listeners to participate. They create the images themselves.

If you’re explaining an idea at work, making a presentation or trying to persuade someone, facts matter. But a well-told story or example can make those facts easier to understand and much harder to forget.

After 20 years, I still enjoy the technology behind podcasting, but technology isn’t what has kept me behind the microphone.

It’s curiosity.

It’s learning something I didn’t know before the conversation started. It’s helping someone explain an idea or tell a story. And it’s trying to create an experience where the listener walks away knowing something they didn’t know before.

After 500 interviews, I’ve come to realize that better communication has less to do with what you say and more to do with how well you listen.

You don’t need to host a podcast or conduct hundreds of interviews to put that into practice. Listen a little more carefully. Ask one better follow-up question. Make sure you understand before responding. Stay curious, but know where you’re trying to go.

And when a conversation takes an unexpected but worthwhile turn, don’t be afraid to follow it. You might be surprised by where it leads.

Greg Gazin, also known as Gadget Guy or Gadget Greg, is a Troy Media columnist with deep expertise in technology. He’s also a respected speaker on communication, leadership, and tech-related topics. Beyond writing, Gazin is a versatile professional who works as a facilitator, blogger, podcaster, and author. His broad range of skills and insights has made him a prominent and influential voice in the tech community.