Not sure what to ask someone at a networking event? (or any other event, for that matter!) Just follow the journalist’s classic formula of who, what, when, where and why.
Here are some variations of those questions:
What do you like about the current situation?
What experiences are you bringing to the solution?
Who would you like to have as a client?
Who could help your company grow?
When does your greatest strength show up?
When would you see the situation as a success rather than a problem?
Where is the source of the problem?
Where do you deliver greatest value?
Why do you see this as an issue?
Why bother?
Action – Of course you do not want to sound like a grand inquisitor but whether you are talking to a potential client, new boss or just want to take daily conversations somewhere different, mix up your questions a bit.
The more interesting conversations become, the more people will want to be a part of them.
Great advice. Along those lines I find it much more interesting and informative when you can get the other person to open up and talk about themselves. Got to be careful about intrusion, but curiosity is always interesting and can be good for both people.