Do you know the term elevator conversation? Are those banal conversations, short and apparently without truly relevant content. They receive this name because they almost always occur in an elevator whose path is so short that it does not lead to deeper conversations. In the following Supercurioso article we are going to explain to you the FORD method which is an infallible method to solve these uncomfortable moments in which you must start a conversation with a group of strangers but you do not know very well how. This method will help you to have a mental guide to the topics that you can take to establish a fluid dialogue .
FORD method to avoid uncomfortable silences
It must be said that this method is very simple because you will only have to memorize these four letters F O R D . Each of them corresponds to a general topic on which to ask questions to your interlocutor. But the FORD method not only tries to ask questions without rhyme or reason, but goes beyond.
A study conducted in 2017 and published in the Journal of Personality and Social psychology determined that when the subjects taken to the study asked their partners more questions, they found them more pleasant than those who did not ask so many questions. In that same study, a quick dating scenario was analyzed and it could be concluded that the people who asked the most follow-up questions ended up having a better chance of getting a second appointment. The reason for this is very simple: the human being by nature likes to talk about himself . When you are in front of an individual who asks questions about your family, your job, your interests ... and really listens to your answers, you feel heard and you get the impression that the other person is interested in hearing your story, so his attitude towards her is very positive.
How does the FORD method work?
As we have said before, the method tries to remember 4 acronyms of 4 important topics on which to start a conversation. What are these issues?
Family F : Being interested in the family of the person you are trying to make conversation with will tell you many good things about you; You are family, affectionate ... Ask simple things like: Do you have siblings? How many are you at home? Do you visit your parents often?
Or of Occupation : It is an important issue because it shows that you want to know not only the present of the person with whom you are speaking, but also their future. In addition to that, you would be surprised to know how many conversations that begin in a casual way, turn into serious conversations, in this case, even in business.
Recreation R : We all like to talk about our hobbies, about what we do to have fun. You may be surprised at how many things you can find in common with the person you are talking to when you get to this point and who knows, you may even end up planning your next vacation with him or her.
Dreams D : "Dreams." This point is very funny and revealing because if you ask the other person something like "Have you thought about dedicating yourself to that, how much do you like and have fun, in a professional manner? At that time you may become a patron for him, someone who gives you the answers to your most intimate questions. You can suddenly be a person who puts a voice to your thoughts and opens up the possibility of reaching your dreams.
Anyway, the FORD method is not that simple. It is not enough to go asking questions without rhyme or reason. This "guide" of questions is only as a guide to have a small guideline and know where to start. What is really important about this FORD method is knowing how to listen to the other person's answers. If you know how to listen and really show interest, one question will lead you to the other and to another and so on until you catch yourself having a deep conversation with someone who, only a few minutes ago, was a total stranger to you.
Now it's our turn to ask you ... How are you going to start conversations with strangers? Do you have a word facility or do you have a difficult conversation? If you are one of those who find it difficult to start a conversation with a group of people you do not know, then we hope that this FORD method will be of great help to you. If you are one of those who immediately have a topic of conversation and do not usually suffer from uncomfortable silences, we also recommend that you try using this method at some time. As we mentioned, people who ask personal questions to show interest in their interlocutor tend to enjoy greater acceptance than those who simply engage in empty conversations. So, do you dare to try it on your next occasion? We hope that if so, share your experience with us, we will be happy to read you!