Here are three examples of how changing just one word can help you achieve better outcomes:

1. "Can we speak about this?" Working with British police crisis negotiators, researchers Rein Sikveland and Elizabeth Stokoe discovered that when negotiators used the word "speak" instead of "talk" they were far more likely to get the person talking. Oops, I meant speaking! It turns out that there's a subtle difference in context between the two words (talk is cheap after all), so when negotiators say, "Can we speak about this?" there tends to be far less resistance.

2. "Would you be willing to try this?" If you use the word "willing" (over an option such as "want to") you are far less likely to get push back when suggesting something that someone might be reluctant to do, because of course people want to be seen as being willing to try new things. 

3. "Is there something else?" A 2007 study cited in the Journal of General Internal Medicine found that when doctors asked patients, "Is there anything else you want to address?" only 53% of the patients mentioned an additional concern. But when doctors changed the question to: "Is there something else you want to address?" 90% of patients with additional concerns mentioned them.

Conversation analysts, such as Elizabeth Stokoe, believe it's because the word “any-“ has a closing-down function and can be easily dismissed as a token gesture. So, if you want a colleague, client, spouse or (gasp!) even a teenager to open up to you, try asking the question, "Is there something else on your mind?" or "Is there something else I can do for you?"