The way we start conversations at work has a significant impact on the success of the conversation. In this article I share 10 tips for how to start a successful work conversation.

Why does this matter? Well, there are lots of ways to get the start of a work conversation wrong. For example, if we take too long to get to the point the person we’re talking to stops paying attention. If we dive into the detail too quickly we confuse people. Luckily there are 10 things you can do to get it right. Check out these 10 tips for how to start a successful work conversation and you’ll see how easy it is to make a difference when you communicate.

1. Make the topic clear.
2. Say what you need.
3. Put the ‘so what’ first.
4. Say how many topics you have.
5. Give a summary before going into detail.
6. Keep separate topics separate.
7. Ask if they have time to talk.
8. Say how much time you need.
9. Check they are the right person to ask.
10. Don’t forget to be human.

1. Make the topic clear

When you start talking about a work topic you know what the topic is, but the audience has no idea. They might be thinking about lunch, a project update, next month’s status report, literally anything other than the topic you want to talk about. When you start talking about a work topic you need to say what the topic is so the other person can understand and focus on what you want to say.

2. Say what you need

It is difficult to understand the information in a message when we don’t know what to do with it. If you’ve ever thought ‘Why are you telling me this?’ during a conversation it’s because the other person didn’t make it clear what they needed. You didn’t know what to do with the information. You can help other people understand your messages by saying what you need them to do with the information when you start talking.

3. Put the ‘so what’ first

Our natural style of talking is to tell a story. We start with background and walk through information in the order events happened. The problem with this approach is that when we are at work we don’t want long stories, we want to know ‘so what?’. When starting a conversation at work you should give the ‘so what’ at the start of your message. After you’ve given the important information you can then provide detail if the audience needs and wants it.

4. Say how many topics you have

Conversations with multiple topics can take time. It can also be difficult for the audience to know when the topic has changed. You can make it easier for you and for your audience by stating how many topics are in the conversation. Simply saying ‘I’d like to talk about three things’ sets up the conversation to have three parts. You can then transition between topics by saying, ‘The second topic is…’, and ‘The third topic is…”. This will help your audience understand the different parts of the conversation.

5. Give a summary before going into detail

Information is easier to understand when we have some idea of the whole story before we get into the detail. Imagine watching a movie without seeing the trailer or knowing anything about the story. You won’t have a clue what you are about to see — is it a drama, an action movie or a comedy? The same is true of work conversations, if they start without a summary the audience has no idea what is coming next. They will always be wondering how the information fits together. You can avoid this, and make it easier for the audience by starting with a summary. Give a 30 second overview of the topic you are going to talk about. This gives a frame of reference the audience can use to follow along with the rest of your message.

6. Keep separate topics separate

Conversations with more than one topic can be challenging. The information might relate to both topics and that causes us to bounce between the two topics. It can also be difficult for the audience to know when one topic ends and another begins. You can make it easier for the audience if you say how many topics you want to talk about. You can then transition between topics by saying, ‘The second topic is…’, and ‘The third topic is…’. This will help your audience understand the different parts of the conversation.

7. Ask if they have time to talk

When we start a conversation that isn’t pre-arranged, we are taking time from the other person. Just because we are ready and available to talk doesn’t mean the other person is too. When starting a work conversation it is polite to ask if they have time to talk. It may seem like a small thing but it makes a big difference. If you don’t do this you could get a reputation for interrupting, being rude, and arrogantly assuming people should be available to talk whenever you want. Ask a simple question.

8. Say how much time you need

When you start a conversation the person you’re talking to doesn’t know how much time you want from them. And you don’t know if they can give you the time you need. Instead of assuming they have time to talk, ask them. And you need to say how much time you think the conversation will take. If you need 15 minutes, ask for 15 minutes. This helps them decide if they have time to talk, and you will be more likely to complete the conversation you want to have.

9. Check they are the right person to ask

When you are looking for answers you ask the person you think may have them. If you aren’t 100% sure the other person has the answers, don’t go into detail on your topic until after you’ve asked them. It’s quite frustrating for you and for the other person if you spend five minutes explaining your problem to then find out they aren’t the right person to help. Start by summarising what you are looking for in a few lines and then ask if they can help. If they can’t, you’ll find out quickly and that’ll save time for both of you.

10. Don’t forget to be human

All the tips in this series are focused on how to start conversation about work topics. The tips begun when you want to talk about the work. But before that, at the very start of the conversation, you should remember to be human. Greet the person , then introduce the conversation in whatever way is culturally appropriate. Also use whatever fits your natural style. If you want to ask about their weekend, family, or hobby, do that. Spend a minute building the relationship between you. Then, when the conversation changes to the work topic, then you should use the other tips in this series. It’s important to get to the point, but it’s also important to be a human, too. 😊

So there you have it, 10 tips for how to start a successful work conversation.

Learn more with my book

The First Minute

• Have shorter, better work conversations and meetings
• Get to the point faster without rambling or going off on tangents
• Lead your audience toward the solution you need
• Apply one technique to almost every discussion, email, presentation and interview with great results