Do you think that it is easy to make better conversations when the time demands it? If you’ve ever experienced the awkward silence that comes when you’re forced to hold a conversation with someone you don’t know very well, you’re not alone.
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Pretty much every person on the planet has experienced some kind of anxiety surrounding holding a conversation or trying to maintain small talk, and it can be particularly distressing for anyone who suffers from social anxiety.
In this article, you can find some simple, easy-to-use tips and tricks for holding better, more meaningful conversations.
Use The FORD Method
FORD stands for Family, Occupation, Recreation, Dreams and is a technique to help you create a fuller more interesting conversation, no matter who you’re talking to.
By having the FORD technique saved in the back of your mind, whenever you enter into a conversation that doesn’t seem to be going so well, you can pull out a few questions relating to any of the topics in the FORD acronym and voila, you have revived the conversation.
Keep Up To Date With The News
If you’re really stuck for conversation topics and your conversation partner doesn’t seem to want to open up about themselves, a great option is to start talking about the news.
A simple “so what do you think about xyz” can really get an interesting conversation flowing.
Of course, to do this you’ll need to keep up to date with the news, but this isn’t so hard.
A quick browse through a site such as Todays Global News should give you all the information you need to gather some quick conversation starters
Make Sure To Ask Questions
Most people love to talk about themselves; it’s human nature.
If you continue to ask questions about what they are talking about and their life in general, it’s more likely that they’ll open up and feel more comfortable with you.
Showing genuine interest in what they have to say can go a long way to making a conversation a lot smoother.
Stay Mindful Of The Situation
It’s important when having any conversation, whether it be a friend, teacher, co-worker or boss, to remain mindful of the situation and the effects of your words.
Practicing mindfulness meditation can be a good way to give yourself a little clarity before you start the day and make it easier to remain calm and collected while holding conversations.
Awareness of your role in a conversation and how you phrase yourself helps to make sure you’ll always be coming across as friendly and genuine.
Listen To Your Partner
In a similar vein to making sure to ask questions, making sure that you are genuinely listening and processing the information your partner is telling you will help a lot.
Remember to treat your conversation partner just as you would like to be treated. If you would want them to listen to you, maintain eye contact and seem genuinely interested, then make sure to accord them the same treatment.
Use Compliments
It seems simple, but throwing in the occasional compliment here and there can really help to warm someone up to you and make the conversation lighter and easier. Just make sure not to over-do it or you could come across as slightly fake.
