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It\u2019s summer time in the northern hemisphere and as the world opens up, we are finally able to meet each other in person again! It\u2019s been a long time. Many of us have been isolated for months now, and as we all re-emerge from lockdowns and virtual life, it\u2019s a bit like the\u00a0ad for Extra gum<\/a>\u00a0that went viral a few months ago \u2013 everyone enthralled with being able to be outside and get together, but a bit shell-shocked and uncertain how to do so!\u00a0\ud83d\ude0a<\/p>\n\n\n\n
TED TALKS<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n It can\u2019t be coincidence that the topic of conversation \u2013 and how to be a good conversationalist \u2013 has come up a lot in my recent reading & listening. Have we maybe forgotten a little how to have a meaningful in-person conversation?? Digital communication is great [and imagine how hard lockdown would have been without it!!], but I find it is often a series of consecutive monologues, rather than a true dialogue. TIPS TO A GOOD CONVERSATION<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re wondering if you are in fact a decent conversation partner, this article on the\u00a06 best habits of good conversationalists<\/a>\u00a0is a helpful resource. I found #1 \u2013 be a good listener, and #4 \u2013 they are well-read to be especially important. [And there are lots of suggestions in my newsletters and on my blog<\/a> to help you out with #4!\u00a0\ud83d\ude09\u00a0]
As Celeste Headlee says in her TED Talk, “You need to enter every conversation assuming that you have something to learn<\/em>“. I love that perspective. This witty, engaging and interesting talk on \u201c10 ways to have a better conversation<\/a>\u201d is definitely worth 10 minutes of your time. There\u2019s a reason it has almost 25 million views! One quote I found particularly on-point was from Paul Barnwell “I came to realize that conversational competence might be the single most overlooked skill we fail to teach…Is there any 21st century skill more important than being able to sustain coherent, confident conversation?<\/em>” Really something to think about.
One of my all-time favourite TED Talks \u2013 without question the TED Talk I\u2019ve referred to and recommended most \u2013 is Julian Treasure\u2019s \u201cHow to speak so people want to listen<\/a>\u201d. My favourite part is his toolkit for speaking, where he outlines the 6 tools we have for using our voice. Prosody (also known as the melody of speaking) is for me the most powerful. Such an impactful and insightful talk!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In case you\u2019re not entirely convinced of your conversational prowess, Hidden Brain has done an interesting podcast on\u00a0Why Conversations Go Wrong<\/a>. Often it isn\u2019t necessarily a lack of conversational ability that\u2019s at issue, but rather conflicting conversational styles. Culture, gender, age, education \u2013 there are lots of factors that influence both how we communicate and how we receive communication.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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