<ul><li><span>Find common interests and discuss them.</span></li><li>Encourage others to talk about what interests them. </li><li>Be gentle or help someone out, even if it is on a small thing.</li><li>Say something nice about another person or something associated with another person without being phony.</li><li>Acknowledge the awkwardness. This is especially effective if you can do it in a humorous way.</li></ul>

Decreasing Awkwardness

<ul><li>Walking into a room where you don't know any of the other people.</li><li>Being in a situation in which you don't know what you are supposed to do. </li><li>You are all talking amongst yourself and an unknown person approaches the group.</li><li>When a conversation does not go smoothly. </li><li>Discomfort around food. </li><li>Invading someone else's personal space—or having your own space invaded.</li><li>Not remembering someone or their name or not being remembered. </li><li>Been put in the spotlight or when others start talking about you while you are in the same room.</li></ul>

Situations That Lead To Awkwardness

We all have socially awkward experiences, but what makes a social interaction so uncomfortable? Research has pointed to 10 kinds of experiences that are especially likely to make people feel awkward, and 6 things people can do to escape from the awkwardness (without just walking away) and feel comfortable again.

Decreasing Awkwardness

Similar ideas to Decreasing Awkwardness

How to talk to strangers

Awkward conversations

RECIPROCITY