When you’re dealing with someone who speaks in abstract or vague language, it can be difficult to actually get things done. They’re never giving you the information you need. 

You can work more easily with these people through a method of conversation control called “chunking down.” 

When you ‘chunk down’, you make a conversation more granular and specific through as many specific questions as possible. For example:

  • “What is an example of this?”
  • “What would this look like?”
  • “What specifically?”

The key with effective ‘chunking down’, though, is to be able to do it conversationally, so it doesn’t feel like an interrogation. It takes some practice, but once you learn it, ‘chunking down’ can be a handy communication and influence tool. 

Have you used ‘chunking down’ in your professional life? What impact did it have?

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