When you are an introvert you always have a sense of contradiction. Socializing drains you but at the same time, you want to have deep connections with others. You mostly enjoy the alone times but need meaningful relationships. You always struggle to initiate a conversation but at the same time, you wish to discuss your ideas and opinions.
The fact is that introverts can be excellent conversationalists. Introverts look for deep and meaningful conversations rather involving in small talks. It is more likely that they feel such small talks to be useless, superficial and unnecessary. However, every introvert person has particular hidden strengths that are innate.
To start up, they are good listeners. They take the time to absorb information, reflect and then respond to it. Next, introverts are good at reading people. Most of the intuitive people are often introverts and the intuition allows them to have a sense of what another person feels. At the same time, introverts are known to have a rich inner world.
If you are an introvert here are few ways to channel your strengths and connect with people at work.
Listen and Then Follow Up
Most of the times when you start a conversation you are worried that it will end too soon and you will run out of things to say creating an uncomfortable silence. But rather when you talk to someone for the first time there are many things and topics to talk on. The key to keeping the conversation on is to listen and then follow up.
When you ask a simple and short question you get a one-word answer to follow it up with an open-ended question. For instance, if you ask someone where they come from, they will give you an answer to which you can ask them how they feel about living in a different place or if they miss their hometown.
Offer to Go First
To make a conversation more meaningful, share something vulnerable related to a topic to steer the conversation in the direction of something deeper and build a connection. This makes people respond in the same manner and this creates a more satisfying bonding experience.
Vulnerability doesn’t mean you need to jump into sharing your darkest secrets but things, like sharing your needs, trying something new or even sharing some success stories, involve vulnerability.
Share Success Stories
Most, especially introverts worry that sharing success stories may seem like they are coming off as boastful or make others feel inferior. But we are in a world where we come across a lot of bad news and a little bit of happiness from people’s success stories can be refreshing. It also deepens the conversation.
You can start by sharing your success story and then asking others about how well things are going at work or in their life and their accomplishments.
Ask More Engaging Questions
To make others share more with you, you can start asking engaging questions. Ask people what you feel others should ask you or expect them to ask you. Talk about someone’s passion or goals. Allow them to shine with their words.
Because you know that you cannot come up with questions or interesting topics at the very moment of initiating the talk with someone it is better to prepare a generalized question set for your next conversation.
