Conversational skills

Conversational skills involve keeping a conversation going and it is something of an art - which many people seem to lack.

Key principles of conversational skills

Key principles of conversation skills include:

1. Conversation is a two-way street

2. Be friendly and polite (Build rapport, be nice, avoid contentious conversations on first acquaintance)

3. Respond to what the other person or persons are saying. See: Listening skills

4. Use signaling to help the other person such as open-ended and close-ended questions

5. Create emotional connections (Relationship building, empathy, sharing appropriate information, etc.)

6. Be interested and you will be interesting

See also

• Communication
• Social intelligence

External links

• The Art of Small Talk: 8 tips for improving your conversation skills, Toastmasters International
• How To Practice Conversation Skills: 6 Actionable Tips
• 9 Tips and Ideas On How To Improve Conversation Skills

Workplace related:

• 14 Conversational Skills You Can Easily Learn and Apply at Work
• 7 Ways To Improve Conversational Skills in the Workplace