How are you?

Most people answer that question without thinking.

“Good. Fine. Okay.”

Then the conversation moves on, and nothing meaningful is learned.

But what if that question is one of the reasons so many conversations stay stuck at the surface?

In this week’s episode of Power Hour, host Eugene Shatsman sits down with Bart Foster, Founder and CEO of BusinessOutside, to discuss how better questions create stronger connection, how connection builds trust, and how trust can change the way leaders, teams, and patients respond.

Bart works closely with executives across the eye care industry, helping them move beyond surface-level conversations and into the kinds of relationships that create real insight, vulnerability, and growth.

And while this conversation begins with executive forums, it quickly becomes relevant to every practice owner, manager, doctor, and team member trying to build more trust inside their business.

Why “How Are You?” Often Fails

“How are you?” is one of the most common questions we ask, but it rarely creates connection.

Bart explains that most conversations follow a predictable pattern. Someone asks how you are, you give an automatic answer, return the question, and move on.

No vulnerability. No emotion. No real connection.

The problem is that most people have been conditioned to answer it without revealing anything meaningful. So if the goal is to create trust, the better move is to break the pattern.

Instead of asking, “How are you?” Bart suggests asking questions like:

• What’s giving you energy right now?
• What’s something you’ve celebrated recently?
• What’s a challenge you’re working through?
• What’s a conversation you’ve been putting off?
• What’s something you’re excited about in the next few months?

These questions invite a more thoughtful answer, in turn creating a better opening for connection.

Better Questions Create Better Relationships

A major theme in the episode is that the quality of the question determines the quality of the conversation.

Surface-level questions usually lead to surface-level answers. Better questions create emotion, reflection, and trust.

That matters in leadership, in team meetings, and in patient care.

If a doctor walks into the exam room and asks a patient, “How are you?” the patient may answer automatically.

But if the doctor asks, “What’s something you’ve been excited about lately?” or “What’s been giving you energy?” the patient may reveal something about their life, their family, their work, or their lifestyle.

That creates a different kind of conversation. It also gives the doctor and team better context for recommendations. When patients feel known, they are more likely to trust that the recommendation is coming from a place of genuine care.

The Power of Vulnerability

Bart also discusses the difference between authenticity and vulnerability.

Authenticity is being aligned with who you are and what you value. Vulnerability is being willing to share something real, even when it feels a little uncomfortable.

That is where deeper trust begins.

In Bart’s executive forums, leaders are encouraged to move beyond the everyday 70% of conversation (weather, work, quick updates, and surface-level answers) and into the deeper 5% where real challenges, fears, personal moments, and meaningful insights live.

That does not mean every conversation has to become heavy. It means leaders need to create environments where honest conversations are possible. When one person is willing to be real, it often gives others permission to do the same.

Bringing Better Questions Into the Practice

One of the most practical parts of the episode is how easily this concept can be applied inside a practice.

A team meeting does not need to start with the usual, “How was everyone’s weekend?” It can start with a question that helps the team learn something meaningful about each other.

For example:

• What’s a small win you had outside of work?
• What’s something you loved as a child that you wish you could do again?
• What’s your favorite place you’ve ever visited?
• What’s something you’re looking forward to?
• Describe a perfect day.

These questions may seem small, but over time they help people understand each other better.

That creates stronger relationships. Stronger relationships create more trust. And trust makes it easier to give feedback, solve problems, work through conflict, and perform as a team.

Living and Leading With Intention

The episode also explores the idea of living by design instead of letting life simply happen.

Bart encourages leaders to understand their personal values and use those values as a filter for decisions, opportunities, priorities, and relationships.

The same idea applies inside a practice.

When you understand what your team values, you can lead them better.

You can see who is motivated by growth, who values flexibility, who wants more responsibility, who needs stability, and who is energized by connection.

That kind of understanding helps owners build stronger teams and make better leadership decisions.

People are not just roles inside a business. They are people first.

When leaders understand that, everything about communication, trust, and performance begins to change.

Eyecare BOSS Live Summit

If you’ve been to conferences before, you’ve probably left with many great ideas and intentions, and then when you get back to your practice, nothing actually changes.

Eyecare BOSS Live is designed specifically with that in mind so you can not only know what to do to reach your goals, but also have the tools, strategies, and plans to implement lasting changes once you’re back. to change that.

This is a 2 and a half-day, invitation-only event (September 16–18 in Cleveland) designed specifically for practice owners who want execution, not just inspiration.

Inside the room:

• 200 growth-focused operators
• Peer-level masterminds
• Real conversations around revenue, staffing, leadership, AI, and specialty growth

And everything is built around one outcome:

You leave with a 90-day plan you can actually implement.

If you want to be considered, click the link below:

• Better Questions Create Better Conversations | Learn why common questions like “How are you?” often fail to create meaningful connection.
• Connection Builds Trust | Understand how stronger relationships improve team dynamics, patient communication, and leadership.
• Trust Drives Performance | See why teams and patients respond differently when they feel understood and valued.
• Vulnerability Opens the Door | Discover why honest conversations create deeper trust and stronger relationships.
• Values Help Leaders Lead Better | Learn how personal values can help owners make better decisions and understand their teams more clearly.

Connect with Bart Foster

Bart Foster is the Founder and CEO of BusinessOutside, where he helps executives and leaders build deeper relationships, ask better questions, and create meaningful connections through curated forum experiences and outdoor-based leadership development.

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fosterbart/ 
• Website: https://www.businessoutside.com/ 

Connect with Eugene Shatsman

Eugene Shatsman is Host of Power Hour, Managing Partner of National Strategic Group, Co-Creator of The Eyecare BOSS, and a TEDx Speaker. A growth strategist and consultant to hundreds of optometric practices nationwide, Eugene specializes in scaling independent eye care businesses through structured strategy, marketing science, and operational clarity.

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eugeneshatsman/
• Website: https://eyecareboss.com/