Unfortunately, however, it was a fizzer. No one showed up. No chance of Supercommunication, because well ….ummm……there was no-one to communicate with!<\/p>\n
While that room was empty (and for a small period of time, my heart), the ideas I wanted to share in that workshop should not be held hostage. So, let’s give them space to roam in this post.<\/p>\n
The basic idea is this: we have multiple conversations a day, and good ones are central to our wellbeing. The good news is that it is within your power to make the next conversation you have a better one.<\/p>\n
In your next conversation today – whether it’s at the coffee shop, in a tutorial, or with a roommate – pick just one of these six skills to try out:<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1. Prepare for the Conversation \ud83d\udcdd<\/p>\n Before you even step into a conversation you know is coming up, create a game plan in your head. <\/span><\/span>Take a moment to think of two topics<\/strong> you might discuss, one thing<\/strong> you actually want to tell the other person, and one specific question<\/strong> you want to ask them<\/span><\/span>. <\/span>It sounds simple, but having some pre-determined discussion points\/questions can help kill any mid-chat lulls and keep things flowing.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n 2. Transform a “Yes\/No” Question \u2753<\/p>\n It\u2019s so easy to fall into asking ‘closed’ questions like “Did you have a good weekend?” or “Do you like your degree?”<\/span><\/span>. <\/span>The problem is that these questions basically invite a one-word answer that ends the chat<\/span><\/span>. <\/span>Instead, try transforming them into open-ended questions that give the other person room to share their experiences<\/span><\/span>. <\/span>Ask things like “How did you spend your weekend?” or “How did you get interested in your degree?” and observe if it leads them to share more with you. Don’t fret if you catch yourself asking a closed question. Simply follow it up with an open one.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n 3. Go One Level Deeper \ud83c\udf0a<\/p>\n Most of our daily talk is surface-level facts, but researchers have found that the most successful connections happen when we ask about deeper things like needs, goals, beliefs, and emotions<\/span><\/span>. Of course, not every conversation requires deepening, but for those that involve actual or potential friends, instead <\/span>of just asking “Where do you live?”, try asking “What do you like about living there?”<\/span><\/span>. <\/span>Moving from the “what” to the “how” or “why” gives people a chance to talk about what actually matters to them, which builds a much stronger bond than just swapping data points<\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n 4. Match the Energy \ud83c\udfad<\/p>\n Supercommunicators are great at reading the emotion(s) of a person and matching them. <\/span><\/span>But reading specific emotions (especially across cultures can be difficult).<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Instead, use this simpler method of reading their mood (positive or negative) and energy (high or low).<\/p>\n Is the person you\u2019re talking to high-energy and upbeat, or maybe low-energy and frustrated?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Look to gently match their energy and mood, so they feel better seen and understood.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 5. Prove You Are Listening (The “Loop”) \ud83d\udc42<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/student-health-and-well-being\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/71\/2026\/03\/match-mood.png\")
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