The Meaning of Meaningful Conversation

We live in a communal society. Whether you’re grabbing your morning coffee, picking up milk at the store, or watching your daughter’s soccer game, you are constantly interacting with people. And during these interactions you can choose to:

A.     Be social and actively participate in conversations;

B.     Extend a wave and a quick hello to people you know and go in your own direction; or

C.     Be more on the anti-social side and keep your head down to avoid others as much as possible.

I’m sure you know many people in your life who deeply relate to C. Or maybe this also describes you? While behaving this way isn’t absolutely wrong, it sure can get lonelywithout having any significant contact or exchange with others.

When you lack social interaction, you lack access to the benefits of developing substantial relationships. Although technology is also to blame; in this day and age where you can get online and order your groceries and then have them delivered, shop for anything your heart desires at all hours of the night, or call a taxi without actually speaking to someone – these social interactions aren’t a necessity as they used to be, resulting in many not knowing how to handle it. And this has impacted our society.

If you’re not exposed to certain social settings where there’s a need to be interactive and start and hold a conversation, you may not be comfortable in these types of situations, and choose not to do it. But THERE WILL come a time when you’ll be required to make a connection with someone, and if you don’t know how to properly approach and bond with people, this could be extremely challenging and may bring undesired results.

In fact, as stated by Jeffrey Meshel in his book One Phone Call Away: “Studies have concluded that 1 in 15 people experience panic attacks induced by social phobia – some type of shyness or anxiety when circulating amongst strangers.”

It’s imperative that you have the skills to engage in discussions with others as you build relationships. And not just superficial, “How’s the weather up there?” exchanges of dialogue, but ones of substance and importance. As said by American writer Neal Stephenson, “The best way to know someone is to have a conversation with them.” In fact, everyone should have the ability to:

• start a conversation with someone new and keep it going,
• conclude a discussion if it needs to be end,
• pick up on social queue’s,
• establish rapport with others, and
• create the foundation for a relationship with a new connection.

During these discussions you must focus on being present and attentive to what the other person is saying. But not everyone is good at doing this. Concentrating on what is actually being said will pay off and your conversations will be more impactful. And afterwards when you analyze what was talked about, you’ll walk away having learned new information that can lead to great potential.

Of course, this doesn’t mean you have to converse with and be (or even want to be) best friends with everyone; but I promise opportunities will come more easily, and you’ll be happier and more productive if you hone this skill set – which can help you successfully navigate society.

NetWorkWise Top Tip: As the proverb goes “Conversation is food for the soul”, and it’s also great nourishment for your network. A meaningful discussion where a deep connection is made will create an impact on your relationships and lead to positive results