How to Talk to Anyone

by | Feb 4, 2023 | blog

 

By: Joseph Tee, A student at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, as part of Heather Nelson’s Service learning project.
Talking is a huge part of communication and we utilize it in many ways whether we want something or whether we want to make a point. Now, what if I told you that some people have a hard time talking to others.

Talking Experiment
I went around and asked my friends that are taking classes on campus if they were confident with their ability to talk to anyone. They all said yes, so I asked them to rate how confident they were from a scale of one to ten. The lowest score I had was a 5/10. The highest score I had was a 9/10. Now, when I asked a close buddy of mine who is taking only totally online classes, she has a very low score and is scared to meet new people.
Personal Experience
I am confident in my ability to speak to others. That’s how I can make friends so easily. According to my Clifton Strengths, I am someone who likes to Woo people and a Woo are “People exceptionally talented in the Woo theme love the challenge of meeting new people and winning them over.” So, through this blog I will tell you about how to talk to anyone.
How to Talk to Anyone-Steps:
  1. To begin with, talking to anyone, make sure you get their attention to let them know that you are approaching them. Once you reach them, use a friendly greeting to introduce yourself. Of course, a compliment is a great way to break the ice. Another great way to break the ice is to humor them. According to an article called 12 ways to Break the Ice When Meeting a New Person written by Chris Butler, “If you can get people to laugh, you will win them over.”
  2. Once you have broken the ice, try to learn more about the person that you are talking to. One way to do this is by asking them questions that you can relate to. Of course, asking questions that you both can relate to might be hard, so start off by looking at your environment and ask questions relating to this. For example, if you are with a person at a grocery store, a safe question to ask is “what are you shopping for today?” While asking questions, make sure to listen well because a good friend is a friend that listens.
  3. Listening to them will let them know that you care about what they are saying. Also, one big thing to do is to listen out for connections. By finding connections through the conversation, you can add them to your friend list.
  4. So, before you both wander off and say goodbye, leave a piece of contact information if you feel connected. If you feel you can talk to this person for hours, then that’s a good reason to leave your information with them to do more talking in the future.

 

References:

Butler, C. (2021, October 25). 12 ways to break the ice when meeting a new person. Power of Positivity: Positive Thinking & Attitude. Retrieved November 17, 2022, from https://www.powerofpositivity.com/break-the-ice-meeting-new-person/#:~:text=Twelve%20Effective%20Ways%20to%20Break%20the%20Ice%201,Be%20Pleasant%20in%20Your%20Approach%20…%20More%20items

Gallup, I. (2022, June 2). Woo. Gallup.com. Retrieved November 17, 2022, from https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/252359/woo-theme.aspx

 

#howtotalktoanyone #buildingbridges #friend # feelingconnected #winafriend4life

 

Omaha Skills Connection is a 501c3 non-profit organization located in Omaha, Nebraska established as a result of the post pandemic era to help bridge the skills gap between education, technology and today’s workforce. Omaha needs an educated, flexible and dynamic workforce in today’s knowledge-based economy. OSC connects talent to opportunity, modernizing employee development for today’s workforce.