How in 3 minutes to understand a person’s context, their focus, and find the point where you can be genuinely useful to them

When I meet someone at an event, it’s important for me to understand in 2–3 minutes a) the context, b) their current focus, and c) how I can help this person—how I or my contacts could be useful.

Here’s the twist: I don’t need to drag information out of them; I start creating a space for a normal conversation, one they actually want to continue.

I can rephrase this in simple terms as: “What are you working on right now?” or “What projects are you focused on this year?”

What matters is not the exact wording, but your genuine curiosity about the environment the person lives in: their industry, role, and decision-making level. This helps you understand what is definitely not worth talking about and where potential points of connection might be.

Sometimes it sounds like this: “What task at work is worrying you the most right now?” or “What is the most important thing for you this quarter?” This question immediately shifts the conversation from job title to priorities and pain points. The person themselves indicates where they feel tension, interest, or ambition — and therefore where you can potentially be useful.

I don’t ask it in the first 30 seconds; it comes up only once there’s at least a minimum level of trust. Another, softer wording might be: “Is there anything where my experience or contacts could be helpful?” or “If I could be useful, what might that look like?”

This kind of question shows that you intend to give first, rather than immediately ask for something.

These three questions work in any format — from an offline event to a short video call. They help you quickly move from the formal “What do you do?” to a real conversation and uncover the true value of the connection.

Share your 1–3 favorite questions for business meetings in the comments — I’m adding them to my collection of tried-and-tested phrasing.