Are you new to the office, alone at a party or stuck in a queue at the airport and don’t know how to start a conversation? Is the situation awkward, and the level of embarrassment increases over time? How to start a conversation?
Ask open-ended questions – people like to speak, so give them that opportunity
The weather can be the starting point for breaking the ice. Do not ask the interlocutor if he likes the weather. Ask what weather he likes best, or which season is his favorite.
Don’t stop asking where your interlocutor comes from. Ask how he would compare this place with the one he lives in today. You can ask where he lived and what he thinks about these places.
Preliminary research
If you’re a guy who doesn’t talk small spontaneously, you can’t do it: you need to get ready by going to a party. What do you have internet for? Thanks to social networks and search engines, you can gain a lot of knowledge about other invited people, which will facilitate your conversation with them.
Look at the profiles of the participants of the event on our class or Facebook. See where they studied, what studies they graduated from, where they come from, what they are interested in. This is a mine of information. Maybe you have mutual friends, maybe you also finished management, maybe your girlfriend is also from Kalisz, or you like diving or skiing.
Stimulators of conversation
Take the opportunity to say a few words about yourself at the beginning of the conversation. It becomes more and more embarrassing later on. Ask open-ended questions, i.e. ones that cannot be quit with a short “yes” or “no”.
For example, ask for opinions on various topics, for advice, for information about a specialist. People love to be asked for advice. By joining a larger company, join the conversation at the very beginning. Then it will get harder and harder for you.
No matter how trivial it sounds, there is a list of safe topics invented in order to have a nice conversation that does not hurt anyone, does not offend anyone and does not require entering shoes with someone else’s life.
Use common ground – two people always have something in common
Maybe you are a tall woman who has just noticed another tall woman. You will definitely be able to exchange anecdotes. Maybe a boy wearing similar clothes entered the room. Praise his style, playfully showing his clothes. You can always find something that connects you with another person to start a conversation. Just be ready to ask open questions when you break the first ice cream.
Choose “safe” topics for conversation
Talking about similar experiences of raising children is one of the easiest ways to start a conversation that will continue on its own. However, talking about the funny antics of your animals, funny stories from work and travel anecdotes can also work great.
Have a nice day!
It would seem a trivial matter. Introducing two words to the everyday dictionary. In my case, it was these words that made me just talk more to strangers. It somehow came out so naturally, I can’t explain it. I wrote about the magic of the words “have a nice day” a long time ago and newer readers may not remember, and this is one of the coolest blog entries.
