Today's era is all about conversations. Effective communication and conversational skills act as important qualities for leadership. In modern times where any kind of conversation whether it is verbal or written should reflect clarity for receiving a prompt response. Conversation skills include the ability to initiate, sustain and give a perfect end to a conversation. There are very few people who look charismatic and smooth in their conversations. However, these skills can be improved over time with good guidance and coaching.

Ways to Improve Conversation Skills
There are a few points which if kept in mind can improve conversation skills to a great extent. These are:

Simplicity is the key: Simplicity is all one needs while making use of his/her conversational skills. The message should be straight and clear. If the conversation is simple and crisp, the message is conveyed correctly and easily.

Engagement of audience: In case one wishes to engage his/her audience, be it listeners or readers, then the style of conversation is the key. For an active engagement of the audience, it is good to ask them a few questions. One can invite the opinion of the listener or the reader too. In this way, they will feel an engagement with the conversation. And their feedback will tell one his/her next move.

Taking time for response: As speaking skills are important in a conversation so are listening skills. It is very important to listen carefully, process the whole information, and then respond. Meanwhile, gestures like nodding can help in buying you some time and think about your statement. It creates a draft of the conversation in one's head and helps in proceeding smoothly.

Development of listening skills: Being a good speaker is effective but being a good listener can make you all the more attractive. Many times people seek someone who can listen to them. Being an active listener clears any kind of confusion and helps in avoiding any wrong statement. This gives a good time to rephrase and put your words in a sentence.

Body language: While focusing on words to be said in a conversation body language is also important. Almost 60 - 65% of the conversation is done through non-verbal actions. Certain visual signs are understood well by the listener. And certain actions show the level of interest the listener has in the conversation. Shaking of legs or hands is a sign of nervousness, but most of the time the speaker does not notice them. They do it subconsciously.

Noticing details: It is very difficult to break the ice and start a conversation. But, if one is in the habit of noticing details he/she can lead the conversation well with engagement. For instance, one can notice the ring on the finger and can start a conversation about it. Calling the person with his/her name can help the person to feel a connection with the speaker. And this tends to impress the listener elegantly.

Eye contact: Eye contact is an important factor in any kind of conversation. It is the first sign of confidence. If a person blinks too much during a conversation then this can be a sign of nervousness. If a listener does so, or he/she looks elsewhere then it shows that they are not interested in the conversation anymore. And then it is time to introduce some magical words in the sentence. A change in the tone can also help in engagement.

Confidence: Confidence is a must while carrying out any kind of conversation. The choice of words and moderate changes in tone can help in the engagement of the listener. And make the conversation more understandable.

Respect of audience: The message to be conveyed to the audience should not be one's own choice. He/she must pay some heed to the audience as well. Using unique ways in conversation can change the perspective of the audience towards even a simple idea.

Communication is a priority: In today's time, it is very important to be conversational. The communication must be crisp, clear, and as short as possible. Also, the communication to be conveyed should be a priority while making a conversation. For the betterment of conversational skills you can try out some tips from talkality, one can read books or effective articles having good and right usage of words. One can seek a few lessons from those good conversational skills. A mentor or a coach can also prove to be of great help.

If one does not have good conversational skills then it must be focused upon with details. Any skill does not develop or improve just like that but over time. It needs a lot of practice and concentration to learn the art. Just like any skill, it needs proper dedication, time, and some love. It is indeed a long journey where learning is endless, but it is a journey that one will never regret.