I went to lunch with my boss and watched him eat a Caesar salad like he was narrating a nature documentary—crunch, slurp, wet smack, repeat. By dessert I realized he wasn't chewing with his mouth open; he was just really committed to sharing the experience. So I started chewing mine the same way, made direct eye contact, and asked if he could hear me better now. He swallowed hard and closed his mouth for the rest of the meal.