Acing the art of conversation

Conversation is a technique which only few master. It is often said that to be a good conversationalist one must be a good listener. An innate creativity and insightfulness is essential to be an exceptional and gifted conversationalist.

Most conversationalists have gift of the gab on the subject and the audience expectations. Working towards a conversation which is stimulating and challenging requires a spontaneous flow of talk and expertise. The focus is on subject, style and technique which is their forte.

Conversation is an art. Enthusiasm, cooperation and technique are the main impetus. Great conversationalists are exceptional listeners. Shared experience, emotional appeal, topicality are some of the elements that make a great conversation.

According to Venkat Ramana, an Angular Developer, who moved from Rajyam, Vishakhapatnam to Hyderabad for greener pastures is from a rural background: "I found it difficult initially to meet the challenges in communication skills. With practice, reading, observation, I picked up my social skills". With confidence, motivation and the right people backing him, Ramana became a more confident person.

He says, "I need to improve and tone up my skills constantly to face the competition and demands at the workplace. Hard work and Smart work are my by words."

Mastering the art of conversation requires:

Indulging in small talk: Involves taking care of oneself & others so that the conversation runs smoothly.

Building Introduction: A good conversation has good Introduction. It makes people in a group or one-on-one situations more comfortable.

Judging good conversation: The expression and progress of a conversation says it all. To assess if one is bored or interested in a conversation made speaks volumes.

Ending a Conversation: Good ending to a long- standing conversation makes both the speaker and the audience happy.

Art of conversation requires tremendous amount of determination, effort and hard work to stand apart in a crowd. Social skills bring out the best latent talent in a person. Be it communication, public speaking, conversations in a group or one-on-one need shrewd finesse and creativity to make a difference.

To be a unique and gifted personality, conversational ability and the finesse to stand out is a gift and rare ability. Constant improvement and language polishing by way of excelling at the standard of delivery, topicality and the focus in carrying out great conversations is a challenge.

Students have to gear up to meet the challenges at all levels. The foundation has to be strong so that they are polished in the skillsets at a young age. The future is bright for those who embrace social skillsets of various kinds to meet the challenges.

Art of conversation helps students and young professionals to address the demands at the societal level. This makes them embrace the future with a more confident personality. For all round development, social skills are to be given importance in shaping the young and dynamic minds.