Simple Ways To Improve Your Conversation Skills and Enhance Your Connections
Don’t be that eejit always talking about themselves
Their conversation captivated me.
It wasn’t what they were saying but how they responded to each other. Or, rather — how they weren’t responding.
The first lady described a horrific-sounding vehicle collision she had just heard about. She expressed her shock and disbelief that such an accident could happen to someone she knew. She was audibly shaken.
As soon as a pause presented itself, the second lady jumped in with a “that sounds like …” story. She then gave an account of a vehicle collision involving someone close to her many years ago.
I sensed this was her attempt at reaching out and showing support, but boy, was she miles from the mark.
I squirmed in my seat.
The first lady was seeking connection, empathy, and comfort. The second lady might have thought she was giving this by verbalising a comparable story. But by doing so, she severed their connection with an invisible machete.
The second lady simply changed the subject to herself: no follow-up questions or engagement with the initial story.
