Improve holding conversations from "summary" of Communication Skills Training: How to Talk to Anyone at Any Time and Read People Like a Book by Christopher Rothchester
Having conversations with others can be intimidating, but it doesn't have to be. This book provides techniques to help develop the tools needed to become a confident and engaging conversationalist. It also provides methods to understand the behavior of the people around you, so that conversations flow more easily.- Start by being a good listener and show interest in the conversation. Ask follow-up questions to what has been said.
- Avoid dominating the conversation and be mindful of taking turns to share your thoughts and stories.
- Do your best to be aware of any cultural differences that may affect how the conversation is going or understanding one another.
- Don't forget to have fun with the people around you! Life's too short not to find joy in conversations.
- If there are pauses or lulls in the conversation, don't feel like you need to fill the silence - let those moments naturally end.
- Make sure to keep an open mind and not be too judgemental of the other person's opinion.
- Pick topics that bring out the best in everyone -- talk about something exciting or funny!
- Put yourself into their shoes and try to understand where they're coming from rather than jumping to conclusions or making assumptions.
- Make eye contact and also pay attention to body language.
- Reassure them when needed, even if it feels insignificant.
