There's nothing more underrated than a good communicator — and I don't mean in the professional "using words to get my way" sense. I mean, people who are a delight to communicate with because they follow good conversational etiquette.
If you want to be a conscientious — and tbh likable — communicator, here are some little conversational choices that go a long way.
1.Learn the four little magic words: “And how about you?”
2.If you witness someone being talked over, acknowledge them and then try to give them an opening to finish what they were saying.
3.Resist the urge to be the person who comments on *everything* in group conversations.
4.Feel free to say, "Can I think about that for a second?" before you answer someone.
5.Balance observing, asking questions, and sharing things about yourself.
6.Don't pretend to know things that you don't. Just...ask.
7.If you have a tangential comment, redirect the conversation back to what the other person was saying so they don't have to.
8.Respond to people in a way that shows you were actually listening.
9.Go easy on inside jokes and jargon in mixed company.
10.Avoid multitasking during a conversation, but if you have to, acknowledge that you're doing it.
11.Check if you've already told someone a story before launching into it, because hey, it happens.
12.If you've been talking to someone for a while — like, after the check has been paid at dinner or longer than average at a party — give them an out, just in case.
13.And if someone says, "I should probably get going," don't try to slip in one more story — let them go right then.
Feel free to rant or rave about the little communication things that you loathe or appreciate in the comments. You know, so we can all get some pointers.
