Tell a story about yourself, share some personal background and leave the clichés out of the conversation. Just share enough that the other person gets to see that you are a real person. Everyone is worth knowing and our voices are worth hearing. It doesn’t mean you have to share your greatest struggle or bare everything about yourself. Get over any self-consciousness or fear of rejection. Share a little about yourself and encourage others to do the same. Share about yourself.īe willing to be a bit vulnerable.

You could say, “I never thought of it that way” or “I need to think about that” if you can’t think of something to say. It’s fine to pause and think before you make a comment. Relax and let go of any pre-set agenda you may have had. Respond with a related comment.īe relevant. You have to shut off the mental noise.Ĭonvey that you are listening by using appropriate facial expressions, making eye contact, not fidgeting, occasionally nodding and by simply replying to or referencing something they said. You’re thinking about our to-do list, about how you’re going to respond, or when the waiter will bring your meal. We have so much chatter going on in our heads that distracts us from what others are saying. This gets people thinking and shows that you want a discussion, not just information.Įxamples are questions like, “What do you think will happen when…” or “What types of things do you do when….” This type of question opens the door for all types of possibilities. The Five W’s are: Who? What? When? Where? Why? Set up your question in a way that allows for more than one answer. Be like a good reporter – use the 5 W’s as a starting place. Open-ended questions on the other hand, have more complex answers that provide fuel for the conversation to evolve and move. Then you must come up with another idea to keep it going or let the conversation die. Closed-ended questions usually have one answer, often is a “yes” or “no” or perhaps a date or name or some number. Some questions work better than others in building a conversation. Questions can help you get to know the other person by demonstrating interest. Use questions to come up with a topic to discuss when you don’t know what to talk about. Ask questions to help you find common areas with the other person. To begin a conversation or have the conversation continue, you need to ask some well-crafted questions. More about these three below… Ask questions. Ask good questions, listen to their answers and respond appropriately. Building trust is essential for good conversations. Make it safe for the other person and the conversation. Six skills for better conversations to practice and master.īuilding these skills will improve the quality of your conversations, build deeper relationships and help you leave a good impression on new people you meet. Use these skills regularly to sustain an authentic informative conversation and keep it going.

You feel comfortable and put others at ease. Good conversations flow freely when you exchange your thoughts and ideas. They also benefit your health and wellbeing. Studies show that conversation has a significant benefit to your happiness. As a result, conversations build trust while strengthening relationships. You are inviting another person to reveal herself or himself to you, to tell you who they are or what they want.” “A real conversation always contains an invitation.

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