Joe is overprepared.• Preparation goes beyond Googling a guest• He reads their latest AND their first publication• He'll dig into their views and knows their trigger pointsThis is what it takes to keep someone talking for 3 hours.Lesson: your commitment sets the tone.

Overprepare

Joe has the curiosity of a child.• There to feed his own mind, not the listeners• He wants to understand what makes them tick• He's not afraid to look dumb and asks for explanationsWhere would your curiosity lead you?Lesson: genuine curiosity gets anyone talking.

Be Curious

Forget interviews.This applies to any conversation.In your next conversation:• Establish trust• Get them invested• Lead with curiosity• Respond, don't react• Overdo your homework• Pose facts, trigger stories• Listen, check facts & nudgeAuthenticity is your megaphone.

Being Authentic: Beyond Podcast Interviews

Joe reads the conversation• He leans in, reads & mirrors body language• Alters between open questions, encouragement, and facts• There is no predetermined endpoint, he'll steer it to a closeLesson: a conversation is 70% non-verbal, learn to read & use it.

Body Language

At 182 million subscribers, Joe Rogan gets Musk, Snowden, and Tarantino to talk like nobody is listening.A mediocre interviewer, but a true master of conversation.Here are a few lessons for better conversations from 13 years of podcasting with Joe Rogan.

The Biggest Name In Podcasting

Joe has limits.• Joe calls BS if needed• Producer Jamie looks up facts & examples• His input corrects & keeps the conversation on trackEveryone has the right to their own opinion, not their own facts.Lesson: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Put A Stop On BS

Joe makes guests feel safe.• He breaks the ice and makes them laugh• He acknowledges a guest's view & expertise• Explains that he's here to learn, not to judge themIt starts from the first contact - Joe books guests himself!Lesson: trust is the basis for conversation.

Create A Safe, Trusting Environment

Joe rarely asks a question.• He poses a fact that triggers a story• He'll encourage them to go on and dig deeper• Like modelling clay, he nudges the conversation's directionHe gets guests invested in the story, it's about them.Lesson: don't force it, listen & adjust.