Once in a while, when we are exchanging with someone else, the situation starts to feel strange.

There is something happening you can’t grasp. The conversation doesn’t unfold as expected and seems to go in circles. You feel lost in details or not understanding the conversation anymore.

You feel confused.

That is often a moment in which it is important to stop discussing the topic. Ask “what’s happening?”, share your feeling of “something strange is happening” and describe what feels strange to you.

It’s astonishing how often the other person has an answer to that question and is happy to share his answer.

It might be difficult to ask this question, especially when it seems important to stay in control.

It’s useful to ask this question as it creates the opportunity to get a conversation back on track.