121 Shares This is a continuation of the 2 part series “The 12 Golden Rules of Great Conversation.” 7. Great playfulness What do all great conversationalists have in common? They know how to play with the conversation. They can make their conversation fun. They do not take everything literally or seriously. If you are with a friend, and you get up to use the restroom, and they ask you, “where are you going?” You don’t always have to respond, “To the restroom.” Instead, you could say something less predictable and more playful, like, “it’s... More »
209 Shares All great conversations share common elements. Familiarize yourself with each of the 12 Golden Rules, and you will improve your interpersonal communication skills immediately.
7.1K Shares If bullies were actually like Nelson from the Simpsons, they would be easy to avoid. Unfortunately, most of the verbal abuse you will ever experience in life will come from co-workers, friends, or family. The people you like or love are often the worst offenders, whether they meant to or not. Even worse, most of the verbal attacks will not be obvious or cutting, but instead, they will be subtle and sarcastic. Individually, small verbal stings may not feel painful, but over time, these stings can take a toll on your confidence,... More »
345 Shares Why didn’t he call me back? Why didn’t she laugh at my joke? Why don’t they want to hang out again? Do you ever get the feeling that maybe something you did or said sabotaged your conversation (or worse, your relationship!?). In a perfect world, we could all take the Conversation Skills Assessment Aggregator 2000 and it would spit out a printed analysis of our entire communication profile. It would detail our every strength and weakness, our every good and bad habit, and even our conversation style. Maybe it would even make polite suggestions for you in a... More »
755 Shares You are at the bookstore, and you suddenly glimpse an attractive person near you in the same aisle. You would love to initiate conversation but you don’t want to come off as cheesy, pushy, or desperate. You are not alone. Luckily, there are three very natural tactics to break the ice without sounding cheesy, pushy, or desperate. Ask a Help Question Try playing dumb. For example, next time you’re at a coffee shop with your laptop, you can ask anyone near you the innocent question, “Is your internet working? Mine seems really... More »
