The Simplicity of Conversation
Have you ever met anyone you felt was just a natural connector with people?
They just seemed to be able to walk into any situation, large or small, and immediately connect with any person within a few feet, have a quick conversation, and it felt real. So many people want to increase their leadership skill, but they want to rely on their personality to carry them, they don’t really have a strategy to grow themselves into being a real people connector as a leader. People can pick up on just personality alone and the very bold ones will call you on it.
We need to bust it down into the most simple of components. Here are some points to consider if you feel you need to work on your conversation and connection skills.
You should value people
I know this one seems obvious, but I see everyday folks who may tell you they value people, but they actually value themselves more. Think about it.
Use very simple words
You need to be interested in the other person, don’t try so hard to be interesting. I use to have this consultant years ago and the joke around the company was if you talked to this guy, you better have your thesaurus handy. That doesn’t really impress anyone. actually, it makes people feel uncomfortable. Does anyone want to connect with anyone like that? Peak performance leaders use simple words which are easy to understand, so the conversation can flow in a fluid fashion. Who wants to dance with someone if they don’t know the steps?
Use an active type voice
Along with using simple words, be upbeat, bright and positive. Don’t be slow, lazy and uninterested. Be active in your convo!
Stay short
Be an interested, upbeat “quick hitter”. Connectors don’t get into a long conversation. Focus on the person you are talking to and make them your only focus, for a short period, then move on. Make them feel like they are the most important person you will meet today then get out.
Remember, these tips are mainly for a short, quick connection and networking conversation. Obviously, if you end up sitting with someone at an event or you are connecting with a co-worker or employee, the conversation can be elongated. My point today is that the connection is the focal point and many people have trouble truly connecting with people in a rich, meaningful way.
Good luck! Let me know how it goes.
Tony