The art of conversation like any art is a skill of elegance and creative execution. There are those that can talk to anybody about anything and they seem to do it with complete ease. Conversation skills can actually be developed and mastered with diligent practice and several good pointers.
Possessing the art of conversation improves personal, social and work relationships. It gives you the opportunity to meet interesting new people and introduces you to various new topics and subject matter.
See tips on how to improve your conversation skills.
Show interest and be curious. People who are genuinely interested in others are usually interesting themselves because they are more open to learning about and understanding new things. Showing interest also encourages the other person to be relaxed and share information more freely. Display attentiveness by keeping good eye contact and listening actively.
Ensure there is a balance of give and take. A conversation can get boring quickly if one person is doing all the talking while the other is trying to get a word in edgewise. When that happens whoever is not talking begins to tune out and there is no conversation. Sometimes nervousness can get in the way and you ramble on without realizing it. If you find yourself in this situation, take a deep breath and do your best to focus, and then reflect on what you want to say. Also determine whether your tendency to dominate a conversation is due to nervousness or self-involvement. Look for spots where you could have paused and allowed the other person to talk. For future conversations a good rule of thumb is after you make a point, pause for either agreement or an alternative point of view. Observe body language for cues whether to stop or continue. In a good conversation each person needs to express themselves or it is no longer a conversation but a monologue.
Be interesting and have something to say. You do need to be interesting otherwise you would not have anything to say. If you are not well informed or tend not to read much, you will have very little to talk about except yourself. No one really wants to hear about your latest troubles or daily routine, don’t be dull and start talking about those. Also take time to keep up with the latest news, music, technology etc. No one can know everything, so if you can enlighten someone during the course of a conversation, you would look attractive to the other party and in the same vein, you can learn something new as well.
Be relaxed, be yourself. If you are on edge, or trying to be someone you are not, it will show and therefore doom a conversation to failure before it starts. Also, if you are not relaxed, it is hard to appear as if you are. Slow down and take a deep breath. If you not relax, you will end up saying something silly or unrelated to the conversation. Also smile warmly; it will make you appear pleasant and therefore, more approachable. To start a conversation, go up to someone and introduce yourself. It is both polite and necessary to start things off smoothly. Being friendly puts the other person at ease and opens the door for them to introduce themselves.
To improve, practice some more. The art of conversation, like any skill, takes practice. It will take practice as well as exposure to many different social situations. A good way to get practice before you venture out to an event is with family members and people you are comfortable with. They can give you helpful and supportive feedback, which in turn, gives you something to work on.