You Will Build Confidence With This Conversation Starter
There is a little secret conversation starter that I want to share with you and it involves having conversations with strangers.
The reason why starting conversations with strangers is important is because it is in conversations that our social skills are developed, our confidence grows and is obvious to others. We can practice on strangers without fear of having to face them again if it all goes wrong.
There is no magic bullet to starting conversations with strangers. The reason for that is that it doesn't really matter what you say to people you do not know. Rather, it is all in the attitude. If you are nervous, edgy or insecure when you meet somebody, they will sense this and feel uncomfortable talking to you. And you are going to come across as lacking confidence.
So, the secret to starting conversations is to practice. This is a lot easier than you might think. During the day we interact with many people in the service industry who are there to do something for us and which often doesn't involve a lot of thinking. Things like scanning groceries, bus driving, waiting tables. There are all sorts of service people that we come into contact with throughout the day who are perfect for conversation starter practice.
But here is the secret. Most people would begin a converation with a stranger by asking how they are as soon as they interact with them. These service people hear this so often they fob it off. They figure we don't really care how they are; that we are just shooting the breeze or being polite and so they get used to auto-answering "Yeah - good" or "Ok".
So, you need to do something different. And this works really well. Rather than launching into the usual "how's it going" as soon as you see them, wait until they are half way through whatever it is they need to do for you, whether it is giving you a ticket on the bus, scanning your goods at the checkout or making you a take-out coffee and then say to them "How are you doing today?". When you do this genuinely, and it comes unexpectedly in the middle of what they are doing, you will find that you get an amazing response!
A psychologist friend said the reason this really works is that your question, delivered in the middle of what they are doing, breaks their flow. So, when you ask the supermarket checkout operator "How are you doing today" while they are in the middle of scanning your groceries, they will pick up that you are not just another schmuck who doesn't really care. You'll find that they actually respond genuinely and start talking.
So its very easy to get into conversation. I use this technique all the time and, these days, when I go through the supermarket checkout and I'm ready to leave, the checkout operator is still talking to me - even though there are other customers waiting!
There is another side effect to all this. When you improve your communication skills using this conversation starter technique, strangers will respond positively towards you everywhere. In fact, you cannot help but feel the whole world is a more friendly place. Strangers will actually be interested in you, rather than just wanting to fob you off .
Start using this conversation starter tip right away to build confidence immediately. The more you practice the more comfortable you will be with starting conversations. This will naturally flow on to other parts of your life: other strangers, your friends, your work colleagues, people you may be networking with, people at parties. Everyone will seem friendlier simply because you are gaining confidence and becoming a better communicator. So, pratice every day with service people and converse with strangers to build confidence now.
by: Rachel Hill
Manage All Your Credentials With Full Confidence Lease Led With Confidence How To Look People In The Eye With Confidence Plancess: Crack Engineering Entrance Exams With A High Level Of Confidence! Invest In A Smile Makeover, Boost Your Confidence Help To Get Driving Confidence Use Tampons & See Your Confidence Rising! Confidence Through Compassion Choose Skateboard Wheels With Confidence Quiet Confidence Tory Burch Give You The Confidence About Shoes Brazilian Jiu Jitsu San Antonio Will Boost Your Confidence The Right Bikini Can Give You The Confidence