How to Converse With Strangers
You may be a quiet person and do not like to socialize with people, but there are times in your life when you have to interact with someone you have never met before. Maybe the stranger you talk to is going to be a special person in your personal or work life. What really matters is that you should master the skill of conversation and talk to the strangers in a way that your interaction does not end in disappointment or frustration. Although good communications skills take years of practice, you can follow the guidelines mentioned below to make a difference.
Instructions
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1
Kill your ego and always be the first to break the ice. If you take initiative and start a conversation, you are going to leave a good impression about your personality. Most of the times, it is your ego that might hamper you from taking the initiative. In such a situation, you have to overcome your tendencies and show a good gesture by starting a friendly conversation.
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2
Come up with an opener according to the nature of the person you are going to converse with. Starting a conversation with a stranger is not a big deal and you only have to set the ball rolling. Choosing a conversation starter however is the most important thing. The stranger you are talking to may be an elderly person, for example. Of course in this case, your options will be limited. Similarly when you are talking to a working woman, you cannot quip about how exciting the basketball game was, without knowing about her interests. Be sure to figure out the attitude of the stranger and don’t start a topic of your own interest at once.
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3
Sound friendly even if you are not in the mood of a friendly chat with the stranger. There are times when you are forced to join a conversation and you just don’t want to be asked a lot of questions. Be patient and try to sound as friendly as you can with them as you may develop an interest after a few minutes.
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4
Add humor to the topic. If you have a good sense of humor, nothing is better than spicing up the conversation with jokes, interesting news and anything that can lighten up the listener.
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5
Pay attention to what the stranger is talking. The worst mistake you can make is to not make an eye contact and look around while the other person is sharing his/her thoughts with you.
