Start small. Launching into deep conversation topics out of the blue might unnerve some people. Open the conversation by simply making an observation or asking a favor. Brief Interaction At work At a bar/club/social event Do you know what time it is? Gosh, it’s so cold out today! Do you know if we’re supposed to get snow later? Hey, can I ask a quick favor? Do you happen to have a pencil I could borrow? Excuse me, can you tell me where I can find the copier? Have you been here before? Wow, it’s super crowded tonight. Do you know if it’s always like this? So how do you and Lisa know each other? Introduce yourself. Find out the other person’s name early in the conversation. The best way to do this is to offer your own name first, which will prompt the other person to provide theirs. General At work At a bar/club/social event My name is Todd, by the way. I don’t think we’ve met yet. My name’s Alyssa, I’m in the sales department. My name’s Clara. What’s yours? I’m Dan, I’m friends with Lisa. It’s really nice to meet some of her other friends! Ask open-ended questions. Instead of asking yes/no questions which can quickly shut down a conversation, ask questions that require more than a one-word response. General At work At a bar/club/social event So what do you do? How do you like working here? What’s a good lunch spot around here? What have you been up to this weekend? How did you two meet?