The ability to converse well will benefit you both personally and professionally. The following principles will dramatically improve your ability to start, sustain and politely end a conversation.
Starting a conversation - You can begin a conversation by either paying the person a compliment or asking a question. For example, if you admire their shirt or blouse or hairstyle, tell them so! Alternatively, you could ask a question. Suppose, for example, that they are carrying a book. Ask them about the book. Are they enjoying it? Do they recommend it? There are no limits to the use of this technique. Get creative and use your imagination. Have fun with it!
Sustaining a conversation - You sustain a conversation by asking open-ended questions. An open-ended question is one that cannot be answered with a simple "yes" or "no." Open-ended questions typically start with how, what, where, when, and why. For example, How did you get into that line of work? Why did you move to Boston? Questions like these draw out the person with whom you are conversing, and provide opportunities to ask additional open-ended questions. Using this technique, you can sustain a conversation indefinitely.
Ending a conversation - You can always end a conversation with a good exit strategy. Wait for a natural pause or lull and politely excuse yourself. For example, if you are at a party and you have been nursing a drink, you could say, "I think it's time to freshen up my drink, will you excuse me?" Or you could simply say, "It's been nice talking with you."
So there you have it. Three principles that will help you to become a brilliant conversationalist. Good luck!
