Do you find it hard to talk to others?
It’s kind of weird. We communicate all the time. We live in a time when people are communicating all the time through texts, emails, phones, and social media. However, most people seem to find it hard to simply talk to another person. And what most do not realize is that conversation is an art, and it is needed now more than ever.
In your personal life and in your business life, you have to be able to talk to others. You have to be able to do more than just type words on a screen. It’s a simple reality of life, so perhaps there are some things we can do to better ourselves.
For one thing – learn to ask interesting questions.
It is easy to ask questions that only require a “yes” or “no” for an answer, but those questions usually don’t give us much information. Ask questions that will help you find out about the person. Ask questions that will help you understand what they do and what they like. Asking interesting questions helps you know more and helps them know that you are interested in them.
For another thing – ignore the weather.
It’s almost comical how often we fall back on what the weather is like, was like, or will be like. You may be able to start a conversation with weather-related dialogue, but little happens from those exchanges. But if the other person tries to go that route, turn the conversation around. Ask them about what they would do in warm climates, cold climates, wet climates, or dry climates. Dig into them by finding out more than just the local temperature.
For another thing – discover the power of addition.
While talking to another person (about anything), add a question. Ask what they thought about the topic. Ask what they think the topic could lead to. Ask how the topic relates to them. Add a question (or two) to find out more and keep the conversation going.
And another thing – notice the details.
Sometimes a conversation begins to dwindle. It would be very beneficial to recognize that, so you can change topics before the other person wants to exit. No one enjoys uncomfortable silence, so notice it and pivot. In fact, one of the best ways to do this is to notice something about the person and give them a compliment. They will be flattered, and a new line of conversation will be opened.
Talking to others is an art, and the more you practice, the more natural it becomes. Be interesting and interested. Be friendly and relaxed. Be the kind of person that others WANT to talk to.
Why not check out the following resource for more suggestions on this. Just click the picture to find out more…
