Improve Your Communication Skills, 2nd Edition

WASP: welcome; acquire; supply; part 
In my early days as a manager, I was introduced to a simple 
four-stage model of conversation that I still use. It breaks down 
the two stages of thinking into four steps: 
• Welcome (first-stage thinking)
. At the start of the 
conversation, state your objectives, set the scene and 
establish your relationship: ‘Why are we talking about 
this matter? Why 
us
?’ 
• Acquire (first-stage thinking)
. The second step is 
information gathering. Concentrate on finding out as 
much as possible about the matter, from as many angles 
as you can. For both of you, listening is vital. You are 
acquiring knowledge from each other. This part of the 
conversation should be dominated by questions. 
• Supply (second-stage thinking)
. Now, at the third step, we 
summarise what we’ve learnt and begin to work out 
what to do with the information. We are beginning to 
think about how we might move forward: the options 
that present themselves. It’s important at this stage of 
the conversation to remind yourselves of the objective 
that you set at the start. 
( c) 2011 Kogan Page L imited, All Rights Reserved.

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41 Seven Ways to Improve Your Conversations
• Part (second-stage thinking)
. Finally, you work out what 
you have agreed. You state explicitly the conversation’s 
outcome: the action that will result from it. The essence 
of the parting stage is that you explicitly agree what is 
going to happen next. What is going to happen? Who 
will do it? Is there a deadline? Who is going to check on 
progress? 
From impromptu conversations in the corridor to formal 
interviews, WASP gives you a simple framework to make sure 
that the conversation stays on track and results in a practical 
outcome.