Oddly enough, if you want to communicate effectively, you first have to be a
good listener. It’s essential to pay attention when someone else
is talking so that you can respond to the other person and keep the
conversation going.
• If you’re making polite conversation with someone you
don’t know well, try to draw them out by asking about their
interests.
• Don’t just take over the conversation, or you’ll come across
as a dominant bore.
• If you ask someone a question, don’t jump in with another question
before you’ve heard the answer to the first one.
• Don’t cut someone off in the middle of what they’re
saying – even if it is boring!
• When it’s your turn to speak, provide enough information to get your
point across, but don’t ramble on.
• If you want to get through to people, don’t use words they
won’t know, or long, drawn-out sentences. It’s far better to keep it
simple.
• There’s
nothing worse than talking over people: it’s very irritating, and no
one likes it.
Source: Ken Patterson, OUP
