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The following is an email
exchange with a woman, we'll call her Gina, who wrote to me about
feeling intimidated when she talks to people she looks up to.
Her mind goes blank and she can't think of anything to say.
Gina writes:
Help!
I am terribly shy and I feel intimidated by certain people easily.
Lots of times when I meet people, or even try to carry on a conversation
with people I have spoken to before, my mind goes blank and I
have nothing to say. I can always think of tons of things to
say after. I think people see me as boring and stuck up.
Adam Khan's response:
When you are having a conversation with people, do you feel nervous
when your mind goes blank? Also, you say you feel intimidated
by certain people easily. What kind of people? In your life right
now, how many of these people do you have?
Gina writes:
Thanks for replying. I feel nervous as
soon as I have to talk to someone other than a close friend or
close relative. I am intimidated by people who I look up to,
I guess. There are only a few people who are regularly in my
life. The rest I meet once in a while — quite a few.
Adam asks:
Tell me, Gina, when you
feel nervous or intimidated, are you still able to talk? Do you
stammer? Do you sweat profusely? Or do you feel uncomfortable
but outwardly don't show it?
Gina writes:
I can talk, but I can't really think of
anything to say other than a bit of small talk. After that, my
mind just kind of goes blank. I don't stammer or sweat. I feel
uncomfortable and it probably shows because I fidget or look
away a lot.
I focus mostly on how I am feeling instead
of on the conversation or the other person, but I don't know
how to not do that.
Adam asks one more question:
I think I am getting a
pretty good idea of what you're going through. You feel uncomfortable,
your mind goes kind of blank, and you focus more on how you're
feeling than on the conversation (or the person). Before I offer
a remedy, I have one more question. What books, if any, have
you read on overcoming this problem?
Gina writes:
I have read: The Power of Positive Thinking, Painfully Shy, and How Other People See You (I don't remember the authors), and a ton of internet
stuff. Most of the books have something I can use, but the more
I read, the more I think I need to improve. I kind of feel like
everything I do could be improved and I don't know where to start.
Adam's response:
Okay, Gina, here's what
I think:
I think you can read people well, but you lack a very specific
social skill: Small talk. You don't know how to put other people
at ease. You don't know how to make conversation flow easily
and comfortably with people you don't know. This is a skill
and it won't take you very long to learn it. I'm assuming you've
read this, but if you haven't, read it several times over the
next week or so:
http://youmeworks.com/shynesstocharisma.html
The best material I've ever come across on small talk is in the
introductory lecture for the Dale Carnegie Course: Effective Communications
and Human Relations.
They have free introductory lectures. The introductory lecture
is actually the first session of the 12 week course, but it allows
you to try it out before you commit yourself. You don't have
to pay anything. There is no high-pressure sales to deal with.
And you will not have to give a speech. But you will learn
all you need to know about having comfortable conversations with
people you don't know. I'm sure they have these introductory
lectures in your area.
My second best recommendation is to read Larry King's book, How To Talk To Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere, especially Chapter 2, called
Breaking The Ice. If you can converse with your friends
and family but not easily with strangers, it is only because
you are missing a little know-how. Larry King lays it all out
for you. Read that chapter and re-read it every week for awhile.
Master the material. Put it into practice.
My third recommendation, and I think you should do all three,
is to get the audiobook, The Relationship Cure, by John Gottman. His audiobook is really for
developing closer relationships, but the concept he presents
about a "bid" is extremely good and very powerful,
and just what you need to know about.
You wanted to know where to start, Gina. You don't need to worry
about your fear right now. Just concern yourself with one thing:
Learning to have a casual conversation with a stranger. Learning
how to make it easy and comfortable. Just concentrate on learning
small talk. It is a skill everybody must learn if they want to
get on in the world. If you want just one thing to do, find an
introductory lecture of the Dale Carnegie class and attend it.
It costs nothing. And you will learn the one skill you need to
know.
Gina writes:
Thanks for your help. I will try these
things until I find what works.
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