Weight Training Your Conversation (Pt. 2)

5 tips to strengthen your conversation skills.

These tips are particularly useful during times when you are networking, engaged in casual conversation in a business environment (i.e a conference), eating a meal with colleagues or any other time you can think about when business, conversation, and relationship building are able to happen at a particular time.

1.  Ask questions.  This is particularly important when networking.  People get bored quickly when all someone does is talk about themselves (especially if the person's whole coversation is I, I, I, I, I,  - I saw this, I like that, I think this).  It seems like this should be common knowledge but you'd be surprised!  This is crucial because people absolutely love to talk about themselves and warm up quicker to people who:

       a.  Are interested in hearing what they have to say

       b.  Seem to genuinely want to learn more about them and what they do

       c.   Appear enthusiastic and energetic.

Asking questions makes you look like an engaging person with a genuine curiosity and THIS is very powerful.

2. Listen, and pay close attention to what they are saying.  Another great tactic in a networking environment.  I say this because VERY few people in conversations do this:

"Ok so if I heard you correctly what you're saying is this. . ."

Listen closely to their conversation and at a point when they may pause to take a breath or they have finished a point you do a quick summarization of what they said or you could pick an idea they were discussion to ask for clarification about.  This makes people feel good and it builds rapport.  Believe me people know when you are halfway listening to them and its a turnoff.

3. Have, in your pockets, a few facts and opinions to share during the conversation - that aren't your own.  When discussing an issue, an idea, a business trend, etc.  always bring to the table others ideas of what you are talking about to share. It lets people know that you aren't just an opinion person, or you only know your perspective.  It shows that you are thinking and looking at the issues from numerous facets.  It also allows you to gauge the ideas of others and find out where they are on the issue before you share your position. 

4. Do research and be informed.  Before talking to a business mentor, or networking, or talking to some colleagues know what's going to be valuable and pertinent so that you can be an asset to the conversation. This way when communication begins you are able to contribute intelligently to the discussion, get down to the crux of the issue and talk about only what is germane to topic that the conversation will revolve around.  In business arenas this is worth its weight in gold. 

5. Use analogies to bring understanding and clarity to your point.  Your conversation becomes powerful when you sandwich it in ideas and concepts that many people can understand.  How is what you're talking about like housework.  How is what you're talking about similar to driving a car.  How does what you're talking about resemble a boxing match.  When you are able to do this effectively people are able to relate to you and your ideas in multiple ways, and that's powerful!