Escape from Embarrassment
Escape from Embarrassment
Imagine you are invited to a party full of strangers. You know no one except for the host, who is now busy welcoming some other guests. As an outsider, you sit in the corner, feeling like a fish out of the water. The disaster may be a nightmare-come-true for you. With some communication strategies, however, you can quickly start a conversation and avoid the embarrassment.
To avoid relentless rejection, carefully look for a person who might be willing to talk with you instead of impetuously approaching someone. Stay away from those with crossed arms, which indicates they are not ready to have contact with people, or those who are already engrossed in a conversation. Then, give the prospect (ps.a person who might be chosen, for example as an employee: We'll be interviewing four more prospects for the posts this afternoon.—definition from Cambridge dictionary) you choose an eye contact accompanied with a warm smile. If she shows her interest to talk by responding with an encouraging smile, you can move on to the next step.
After receiving the welcoming message, you can initiate your conversation. Casually stroll over to your partner, offer another friendly smile, and deliver your opening line. Try to open the conversation related to the environment you are both in, which in this case is the party. This is less likely to provoke anxiety than if you directly talk about your partner and can promote more involvement than merely talking about yourself. If your partner happens to stand by the food table, for example, start your conversation by saying, “The cake is fantastic. Have you tried one.” If she is tapping her foot to the music, you may ask, “I really love the music. Do you know where I can get the CD?” Besides, make sure you introduce yourself after exchanging a few lines with your partner.
So far it may seem easy. However, opening a conversation is only the first step to avoid being stuck in a quandary at a party. Without absorbing
Imagine you are invited to a party full of strangers. You know no one except for the host, who is now busy welcoming some other guests. As an outsider, you sit in the corner, feeling like a fish out of the water. The disaster may be a nightmare-come-true for you. With some communication strategies, however, you can quickly start a conversation and avoid the embarrassment.
To avoid relentless rejection, carefully look for a person who might be willing to talk with you instead of impetuously approaching someone. Stay away from those with crossed arms, which indicates they are not ready to have contact with people, or those who are already engrossed in a conversation. Then, give the prospect (ps.a person who might be chosen, for example as an employee: We'll be interviewing four more prospects for the posts this afternoon.—definition from Cambridge dictionary) you choose an eye contact accompanied with a warm smile. If she shows her interest to talk by responding with an encouraging smile, you can move on to the next step.
After receiving the welcoming message, you can initiate your conversation. Casually stroll over to your partner, offer another friendly smile, and deliver your opening line. Try to open the conversation related to the environment you are both in, which in this case is the party. This is less likely to provoke anxiety than if you directly talk about your partner and can promote more involvement than merely talking about yourself. If your partner happens to stand by the food table, for example, start your conversation by saying, “The cake is fantastic. Have you tried one.” If she is tapping her foot to the music, you may ask, “I really love the music. Do you know where I can get the CD?” Besides, make sure you introduce yourself after exchanging a few lines with your partner.
So far it may seem easy. However, opening a conversation is only the first step to avoid being stuck in a quandary at a party. Without absorbing