6 WAYS TO KEEP YOUR DISCUSSIONS INTERESTING

How can you ensure deeper verbal connections with others? Here are 6 ways to keep your discussions meaningful and engaging.

USE OPEN BODY LANGUAGE

No amount of verbal discussion can override messages taken from body language. You want to make sure that your body language matches up with your desire for an engaging conversation. Here are some tips for maintaining a welcoming and open nonverbal cues: uncross limbs, use an open posture, and maintain reasonable eye contact.

THINK WELL OF YOUR DISCUSSION PARTNERS

Looking down on others isn’t just unfair and cruel. It’s also a surefire way to kill a discussion. Give the people you’re conversing with the benefit of the doubt, treat them with respect, and think of them reasonably highly. People respond best to those who positively approach them and will subconsciously pick up on your respect.

KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EMPTY TALK AND SMALL TALK

Empty talk is talk that has no direction or purpose other than to fill time with meaningless drivel. But small talk is useful. In fact, studies show that most people get positive boosts from small talk, namely to their brainpower and other cognitive abilities. This means that small talk itself isn’t inherently negative, simply because it’s a form of social interaction.

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KNOW HOW TO INITIATE

Holding a meaningful discussion gets easier when you are off to a strong start. Knowing how to initiate a conversation can flow more smoothly and elicit a more positive response from those around you.

MAKE THINGS OPEN-ENDED

Anything you say that would typically result in the other person responding “yes,” “no,” or “maybe” is a surefire way to stall a discussion awkwardly. The whole point of a discussion is to share thoughts and ideas, after all – and how do you get that from a yes/no answer? Ask for stories, reframe stagnant questions into open ones, and request advice.

DON’T ASSUME PEOPLE DON’T WANT TO TALK

Some of the quickest killers of meaningful discussion are assumptions, and the “deadliest” of them all is that the people you’re talking to don’t actually want to be there. It’s not uncommon for people to think that no one wants to speak or contribute to them, forcing them to stay quiet instead. This is a form of pluralistic ignorance.

Who do you enjoy having a conversation with the most?

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