Often, we conduct a conversation for the sole purpose of just keeping it going, rather than trying to make it especially interesting. The result is that it often becomes boring and uncomfortable.
That’s why we put together some tips for you on how to avoid this situation and instead seriously impress your chat partner.
Ways to Make a Lasting Impression
INSTEAD OF:
- How are you?
- How was your day?
- Where are you from?
- What do you do? Where do you work?
- What’s your name?
- How was your holiday?
- How are you? What’s new?
- How long have you lived here?
TRY SAYING:
- What’s new with you?
- How are you today?
- What’s interesting about where you grew up?
- What’s interesting about your job?
- What does your name mean?
- What was interesting about your holiday?
- What interesting things happened this week?
- What does this place mean to you? What good things happened here?
A well-formulated question can make a person tell you a story. There is no way for them to respond in the standard way.
Break The Mirror
When a conversation goes wrong, a funny situation often arises that is sometimes called a “mirror.”
To appear polite, we often ask our interlocutor standard questions, repeat the words they use, or simply agree with everything they say.
As a result, we lose any pleasure we can get from the conversation.
MIRROR:
- John: What a wonderful day! John: What a wonderful day!
WITHOUT A MIRROR:
- James: Yeah, it really is James: Of course, it’s a wonderful day! the weekend!
When we “break the mirror,” something special comes into the conversation and it immediately stops being boring.
Play Around With The Expected Answer
Another great way to get out of a boring conversation is to avoid giving the expected answer.
INSTEAD OF:
- John: How was your flight? James: Fine.
- John: It’s hot today. James: Sure is hot.
- John: How are you? James: Great.
TRY SAYING:
- John: How was your flight? James: Great! The food was delicious.
- John: It’s hot today. James: It’s often hot in this hemisphere.
- John: How are you? James: I was just about to tell you everything in detail.
A non-standard answer to a question will not turn people away from you. In fact, you will like it because it will look different from others.
Push the conversation forward, pose unusual questions, and offer unusual answers. That way, everyone around you will be fascinated.
Based on materials from Christopher Colin, “What to Talk About”
