Conversations With Open-Ended Questions

93% of communication is nonverbal, so be mindful of your body language as people can tell when you are uninterested. Make direct eye contact, give respect by putting your phone away and face them, so they can have your undivided attention.

Asking questions and being vocal about your likes and dislikes can open new possibilities of conversational topics. Be curious. Ask many questions. Find things you have in common and talk about them.

In order to have someone feel heard you can reflect back what they are saying to you. Simply paraphrase what they just said. This way they will feel understood and you are more engaging.

When conversations stall, ask people about themselves or about their interests. This is especially good to connect with unknown people.

They will feel like you care about them, know and listen to them. Engaged individuals will reciprocate, and you will have a better conversation.

Don't allow yourself to be distracted by your phone when you're having a good conversation with someone.

A study indicated that you can be viewed as less empathetic and trustworthy if you're constantly using your phone around someone else.

Your environment affects your personal relationships. Technologies like social media are making conversations harder and less engaging. But getting rid of it isn't necessarily the cure-all for most of our social interactions.

 If you have you've been feeling disconnected you can develop your conversational skills if you persist.

Mumbling or trailing off because you're worried about what others think of you can impact a conversation negatively. Let those distractions go.

A connection will most likely happen if you show your true self instead of trying to conform to expectation.

Look the other person in the eyes, and be genuinely curious about what they have to say and why they are saying it. Make a point to really want to understand the other person better, and try to see things from their perspective.

Mirroring someone else's body language can establish trust, good will and a connection between individuals.

Be engaged and listen to what they are saying. Show interest, ask questions and clarifications. This shows others that you care about what they are saying, and about them in the bigger picture.

Focusing too much on your own thoughts can leave you stressed and keep you from engaging. Try to let those distractions go when you're talking with someone so the person feels important and validated.