6 Ways to Improve Conversation Skills in Your Personal and Professional Life

Conversational skills are one of the most important interpersonal skills which can make or break your reputation in your personal or professional life. Here are a few tips to develop your communication skills and come across as an impressive person.

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1. Speak slowly and clearly

No matter how awesome the content of your conversation is, it will be rendered useless if no one is able to understand it. Build a solid foundation to develop your communication skills by practicing to speak slowly and clearly. Give appropriate pauses after each sentence and pronounce each word correctly. Speaking in a garbled way and assuming that everyone will understand your speech can hinder your interpersonal relationships.

2. Be a good listener

Experts have mentioned time and again that the skill of conversation is not just about talking. Listening is equally important as it forms the other side of the coin of communication. By listening well, you are likely to be able to garner insights about the other person’s personality. You may also be able to buy time to decide how you can carry the conversation further.

3. Ask questions in moderation

Asking questions while communicating with someone is a tricky thing and has to be done in moderation. If you ask too many questions you can come across as pesky and if you don’t show any inquisitiveness at all, you can come across as stoic and uninterested. Use your discretion to judge the temperament of the other person and ask questions to infuse more life in your conversation.

4. Refrain from sounding too opinionated, aggressive or strong minded

In your personal and professional life, being excessively opinionated or aggressive can sometimes work against you. Exercise restrain over your eagerness to belt out a quick opinion, lash out an angry statement or show a conservative state of mind. This will especially matter when you are talking to someone for the first time.

5. Modulate your tone and expression according to the person you are talking to

Voice modulation is an important element in developing your skill of conversation in your personal and professional life. You may need to bear different expressions on your face and modulate the tone and volume of your voice according to the person you are having a conversation with. For example, if you are having a conversation with potential clients, you may need to show acute interest and inquisitiveness in chatting with them. On the other hand, if you are negotiating with a supplier, you may need to restrain the fluctuation in your tone and expression, being as calm as possible.

6. Know how to fill awkward silences and gaps

Whether you are chatting with an extended family member or your subordinate at work, you may face a situation at some point when you run out of conversation. Be in practice of knowing a few fillers beforehand so that you don’t run out of small talk when you need it. These fillers can be weather talk, comic anecdotes, topics in current affairs or news headlines.