English Communication: How To Be a Great Conversationalist

Conversation is the basis of communication. It establishes rapport and connects us to our colleagues, clients, co-workers, friends, family. Confidence in your ability to converse makes you better in your work relationships and personal relationships.

Susan RoAne made a survey of what she called, “ConverSensations”, people who enjoy conversation and are very good at it. Seventy-five percent of those people reported that either they were shy or had been shy.

It all boils down to the simple truth that there are barriers in every person to satisfying conversation.

So in the next several blogs, I’ll present some tips for bolstering your conversational skill and confidence.

How did 75% of Susan RoAne’s ConverSensations who considered themselves shy work through their discomfort?

One way was focusing on others. First you can melt the ice by focusing on the event. Then reveal a bit of information about yourself. Remember, everyone has childhoods, hobbies or interests. Many have children, have taken trips or vacations. These are rich topics to talk about.

Another way these people worked through their discomfort was acting like the host. In other words, they made sure everyone was at ease, introduced and felt welcome.

Sharing a sincere compliment is one way to begin or contribute to a conversation. People love hearing that something about them is appreciated, valued, or noticed.

Here is another tip. Good conversationalists have plenty of outside interests to talk about. They may play football/soccer, love movies, traveling or listening to pop or classical music. But hear this: Most important, good conversationalists can talk about what they don’t do in order to engage someone in conversation who does! The fun is that the focus is on the other person.

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Be sure to watch our English Speech Tips videos and Accent Reduction Tip videos  for more English pronunciation and accent reduction exercises.