When someone’s telling you something real, put the phone away. Face down still says “I might leave.”

A phone on the table is a visible exit. Face down is better than face up, but it still sits there as a reminder that anything arriving on it could take you away mid-sentence. People editing themselves for a half-present listener tend to tell you the shorter, safer version.

Pocket it, or leave it in another room, when a friend starts into something that took courage to bring up. Nothing dramatic is needed, just no hand near it. You will notice how much more they say when the exit is not in view.