3 Tips for Making Conversation Does Not Feel Awkward
Feeling more confident when starting the conversation
Good morning/evening/night to everyone around the world who reads my story. Hope you have a great day today!
Hey man, come on! Cut the chit chat 😆
Okay, okay! Let’s talk and discuss a bit about some tips while having a conversation that I want to share with you all. Let’s dive in!
Talking is an activity we cannot let go of during our life. Every day, we interact with various new people or even people we have known for a long time, such as family, friends, co-workers, and partners. The role of speaking is essential, but a few people need help with the situation where they have to speak, either with only one person or in front of many people. Not only because we feel a bit shy, but sometimes we are too worried and don’t believe in ourselves because we fear being thought wrong by the other person. In the end, the conversation will be awkward, and the purpose of the conversation is not communicated.
Here are 3 tips for you from me to feel more confident in speaking, both in formal and informal situations, so that in the future, ‘talking’ is no longer scary 😉.
TIPS No. 1: Being more assertive (Be straightforward and avoid using “wordy” words)
When we make a conversation, choosing the right words and defining the context of the sentence is crucial. But, for me, it’s a bit difficult. For example, I want to say “A”, but sometimes I use words that create an ambiguous meaning and cause misunderstanding. Because of that, my colleague or others need more clarification on my point. Truthfully, I’m still trying to reduce this bad habit, and thanks to this post;
And from that post, I got a new insight, and I am trying to point out 3 things there:
- Always set boundaries (Preventing the topic from going widely; If you don’t set the boundaries, you will find too many information sources, and it’s challenging to determine what is necessary, making it hard to decide what to include or exclude).
- Don’t expect people to read your mind (You expect your colleague to be able to do a mind reading on you? It’s not gonna work out).
- Understand you’re not in charge of how others feel or behave. (It doesn’t mean you will be a jerk by telling everything you want to say without filtering the words. It just means you don’t need to go overboard and be so overly considerate that you don’t make any requests or stand up for your values lest you upset or offend someone. Let them decide whether to be upset or offended. That’s their responsibility, not yours).
TIPS No. 2: Speak clearly with a good intonation
The point here is not to speak in a high-pitched, fierce tone. It means that we speak in a voice that can be heard well and clearly pronounced to the person we are talking to. Speaking loudly and confidently with a steady pace will make the other person could be interested in the content of our conversation and vice versa.
Can we evaluate our own sound?
This tip may sound narcissistic. But, sometimes, I like to record my voice on purpose because I want to know what I sound like. Is the tone too flat, or is it too soft, etc.
💡 FYI: Usually, I use this when I want to send a voice note about working and any other things.
Then, from there, I can adjust by using the proper intonation & expression as needed to make the other person interested in talking to me.
Thank you! Do you have any other insights 🤔?
The answer is Yes, I do. While looking for some insights, I got an exciting post; There are 5 out of 6 tips that I could highlight from the post:
- Say each word clearly and accurately.
- Pause between phrases and thoughts. (It gives the listener time to process what you’ve said before you continue)
- Slow down. (Don’t rush your words when speaking)
- Increase the volume a little.
- Keep practicing.
Overall, these are pretty good tips, and I suggest you read them, too!
TIPS No. 3: Pay attention to your partner’s body language
According to this published paper, body language is one of many non-verbal communication. It stated that:
- 55% is based on our body language,
- 7% are the words we use,
- 38% is the tone of our voice
So, please keep in mind that body language and gestures should be considered as well.
One simple example is when we are smiling. Smiles can mean different things, depending on the exact facial expression. There can be happy smiles, warm smiles, and shy smiles, for instance.
That’s it. I hope these little tips will help you a bit 😄.
Thanks again and cheers!
