Whenever two people meet, the conversation happens. Until and unless the conversation starts, peoples can not understand the emotions and feelings of each other.
Starting off the conversation is not severe. Although, a simple Hi, Hello, and How are you? is enough to start a conversation.
What difficult is, maintaining the conversation and keep going it healthily. It happens majorly when two people meet after a long time. Either, they hardly know each other, and they had to talk to each other. In such a condition, the challenging part is how to keep the conversation going?
Not only this situation but, even among the very well-known people, you might have faced issues with keeping the conversation going. Also, the discussion should be interesting for both people.
Such situations often go uncomfortable. Such cases can force you to avoid gatherings, which decreases your social availability.
Everyone should know the tricks to keep the conversation going. I am not saying that you should talk about serious matters or discuss very personal stuff or anything else, but your discussion should include both the persons in it.
Good conversation is as stimulating as black coffee, and just as hard to sleep after. Anne Morrow Lindbergh
If you don't know how to keep the conversation going can majorly harm your social life. But, when you know the tricks to keep the conversation going, you can meet and talk to people. You get the opportunity to know each other.
It also fills the confidence in you to meet new people. It also helps you create a unique friendship opportunity and provide you with fun and shared activities to relax your mind.
A conversation is so much more than words: a conversation is eyes, smiles, and the silence between word. Annika Thor
In this article, you will reveal a few techniques to keep going your conversation with interest. So, please check out the list.
1) Do not underestimate the value of small talk
Small talks are often good than not having a word. Even sometimes, small discussions are needed, and their small talk can replace a lengthy conversation.
Small talks need nothing other than topics such as, where do you live, what's the weather, your favorite sport, what you do, and so on.
In many cultures, having a small talk about sports and weather is considered a waste of time. But, let me tell you the fact that such issues can lead to a healthy conversation.
If you are talking about the weather, the topic can go to places where the weather is pleasing.
Even if two strangers had small talk, they might become friends. So, I think you have understood the power of small talk.
Nothing compares to a beautiful conversation with a beautiful mind. Anonymous
2) Choose the subjects you know that another person is interested
When you start with small talk, you can get to know many things about the person. Such as liking, disliking, hobbies, curious, and so on.
Using these points, you can continue to talk. You can ask them sincerely on the topic, which is just touched by you both.
Be brave enough to start a conversation that matters. Margaret Wheatley
3) Ensure you ask open questions
How do you frame a question can also play an essential role in your conversation.
Try to ask open-ended questions, whose answers can not be given just by yes or no. The person will have to describe or elaborate on the solution in multiple sentences.
Instead of asking,
'So you went to Switzerland on vacation last year?'
The solution to this question could be just yes or no, ending your conversation and leaving you thinking about more topics to discuss. So, instead of this question, you can ask,
'You mentioned you went to Switzerland last year. Tell me, what was the weather, the beach, your experience, and everything?'
No one can answer this question with a yes or no. The questions need a brief description. And your conversation will go long.
Conversation should touch everything, but should concentrate itself on nothing. Oscar Wilde
4) Take the conversation to a more profound level
With the small talk, you have started the conversation, and it was pretty good as well. Now, it's high time to wake up the conversationalist within you by asking more in-depth questions.
Like, if you have asked, 'Where are you from?'
You can then ask, ' How and why did you get there?'
Science says, 'Why' is a very magical word. And the solution for many issues. This 'Why' will help you to take your conversation deeper.
At the same time, make sure that the conversation doesn't go to the uncomfortable zone.
If you see the person is feeling even a bit uncomfortable, it is better to backpedal and return to the ground of comfort.
Whether in conversation we generally agree or disagree with others is largely a matter of habit: the one tendency makes as much sense as the other. Friedrich Nietzsche
5) Listen closely
Even though you have built the conversation's foundation by asking the open-ended question, if you are not listening to the person, you all the hard work will leave with no meaning.
When someone is answering your open-ended question, the person may be sharing very personal information with you.
He will be exciting, sad, happy, and angry or anything depends on the person's mood. It becomes your responsibility to give attention to the person and listen to what he is trying to say to you in such a situation.
Never interrupt the person in between their talk. Once they have finished their conversation, you can summarize what they have just said. This will indicate that you were attentive to their talk.
In case you misunderstood something, try to clarify it by saying,
'Are you saying...?'
But, never just say anything opposite to what the person just spoke.
The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right place but to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment. Dorothy Nevill
6) Show you are engaged with what the person is saying
Imagine you are speaking with someone, and the person is not paying attention to what you are saying. If you feel bad in such a situation, then how come another person will not get hurt? Right!
Show that you are pledged in the conversation with the person. By saying this, I am not saying that interrupt the person to show your engagement. It would be a lousy signal for the conversion.
But yeah, you can show your engagement by saying, Oh, Yes, Ah, and so on.
Also, you can use nonverbal signals. Like, you can mirror the speaking a person's emotions, such as happy, sad, emotional, excited, etc.
Conversation isn't about proving a point; true conversation is about going on a journey with the people you are speaking with. Ricky Maye
7) Use your eyes to show that you are interested in the conversation
Eye contact is a part of nonverbal conversation. As you all know, nonverbal language speaks more than your vocabulary.
Maintaining eye contact with the speaking person can be a good sign to indicate that you are interested in and involved in the process.
It is advisable to look into the person's eyes and maintain eye contact for more than 4- 5 seconds. However, making eye contact for more extended time creates the danger of creeping them out. So ensure of looking away often.
Also, ensure that you don't gaze at the person so intently. Re-establish eye contact with the period.
Good conversational debate is an end in itself, and talking for the love of conversation is what makes us human. Bryce Courtenay
8) Check what your body language is saying
As I said in the previous point, body language speaks more than what you speak.
If the upfront person can catch your body language, it can take you to a problematic situation. If your body is not speaking in correlation with verbal communication, then it is beautiful.
A good conversation is not only about having words. The conversation does not complete until it is mixed with body language.
Don't show not interested indications through your body language, as your spoken words speak something else.
For example, if your stand or sit stiffly, it can make the other person feel uncomfortable. Try to lean backside a bit in your chair, and don't forget to show a dental smile on your face. Make sure you don't add a weird smile. It can create an uncomfortable situation.
The happiest conversation is that of which nothing is distinctly remembered, but a general effect of pleasing impression. Samuel Johnson
9) A little laughter goes a long way
Even in an earnest conversation, a bit of humor can be healthy for a good conversation. But, make sure the seriousness of the topic. It should not hurt someone's sentiments.
Everyone is not an excellent comedian, so don't force your humor on someone and make the conversation lousy.
A laugh in between your conversation can strengthen your discussion. Either it will also show that you are attending the debate. But, it would help if you were very careful while speaking something humorous.
Conversation is good you might not agree with everyone, but at least it gives you a chance to contemplate someone else's ideas. Brandi Chastain
10) Silence can be golden
Knowing when to utter and when not to say I will consider it an essential skill of the art of conversation.
Sometimes, silence is all that needed. You can use this silence for your nonverbal communication.
It would be best to understand the difference between the awkward silence, and a few seconds pause in the conversation.
Don't let the silence turned into awkward silence. Sometimes, awkward situations also appeared. But, don't just blurt out in the practice of filling out the void.
Either, you can use this silence to recollect the thoughts. It can also indicate that it is the right time to make the situation comfortable and allow change.
Every good conversation starts with good listening. Anonymous
And here I finished. I mentioned a few fantastic techniques, which are very easy to adopt. You can use these methods to make your conversation healthy. Now, you know the tricks to keep continuing the conversation. So, from now onwards don't scare about meeting new people. Go confidently.