What Do You Say When . . .: Talking to People with Confidence on Any Social or Business Occasion

by Florence Isaacs

Have you ever walked alone into a room of chattering people and felt nervous? Is the idea of attending a wedding or job interview where you won't know many people intimidating? The art of conversation is a necessary skill for navigating life’s social and business occasions, and with practice you can develop the ability to easily talk to people. What Do You Say When ... is a smart, useful tool that helps you assess all situations and approach people with confidence.

When you can chat easily and know the right things to say, you not only feel more relaxed, but also make others feel comfortable. What Do You Say When ... provides a complete guide to conversation in a variety of circumstances. It teaches the basics, plus helpful rules that work anywhere and with anyone—at cocktail parties, dinners, charity benefits, job interviews, conferences and conventions, dates, and even at family reunions and other gatherings.

Also covered are can’t-fail conversation openers and strategies for expanding conversation and getting to know casual social or business contacts better. You’ll learn how to find appropriate words for difficult times, such as a friend’s divorce, illness, or job loss, or when someone’s loved one has died. Included, too, are tips on teaching your children to converse politely.

Filled with examples, ideas, and practical advice, What Do You Say When ... helps you master one of life’s most essential skills.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help

160 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Alia_ijm · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title of the book speaks for itself "What Do You Say when.." - it provides useful information and ideas regarding social etiquette and communication. It basically gives the reader tips to enhance his or her communication skills and to overcome social anxiety along with any other difficulty related to conversations. Since the book is written by an expert on relationships and effective communication, it is very much relatable. It is also simple, short, and easy to read. However, only courageous people will actually follow the steps. It can be challenging for introverts and shy people.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

This slim book gave me more confidence about how to be socially competent. It's basic information, but I liked her examples. The book helped me remember to listen and ask questions about the other person, which can lead to very interesting conversations.

[عَبدُالكَرِيمْ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ah the programming ...

This book really triggered me. I must say it's a typical self-help bs book, which is why I am very picky about books, HOWEVER there are some points in the book that are quite relevant to our "programming" and how to get ride of it.

Also the book just lost me when it started promoting an app which costs 19.99$ a month just to listen to some positive self talks. Come on dude...

[Liz Gabbitas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Straightforward, practical, and with specific phrases and sentences for certain settings. While less engaging and personal than Barbara Walters's very engaging and very similar book- How to Talk With Practically Anybody About Practically Anything -this one is much more modern.

[Dulze · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not impressed

This is a basic book not really engaging, I don’t think I learned anything new. Some pointers that are mostly common sense.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got a lot of really good tips from this.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book to read on tips on how to strike up a conversation..

[Frances · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is general overview of how we can approach talking to people in social situations. It would be good for someone who never knows what to say or perhaps forgot through the Covid lock down.

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short book (about 150 pages) with advice on starting and maintaining conversations. The first couple chapters provide a good overview. Each following chapter is dedicated to a specific type of social situation and the appropriate things to say (or not say!).

I found this a handy little book. I read from front to back and found the chapters that didn’t apply to me a bit boring - not surprisingly. But, the chapters that did apply to me had some great insights and tips. Well worth my time to read.

This is the type of book I’d like to own, so that I could reference specific chapters/situations in the future. Thinking logically about social situations and appropriate conversation guidelines is actually really helpful.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple and concise. For the socially awkward or simply someone wanting some ideas on conversation ideas for an upcoming gathering. I thought the authors tips for interviewing and for teaching children good conversation skills were very helpful. I was very impressed with the insightfulness, wit, and kindness the author displayed. This book has already helped me feel more confident in social situations and I plan on briefly referring to it before conferences, showers, family gatherings, speaking to someone who has suffered a loss, etc. there are chapters devoted to each of these situations and more.

[Susie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I stole this book about how to make conversation from my mom (we both tend to be shy in social settings). Unfortunately, I didn’t think its advice was very useful. For example, there’s a passage where the author suggests this opening when meeting the Dalai Lama: “You’ve done so much for humanity, it’s an honor to meet you. You must be so busy. How do you manage your time?” Seriously. I gave it three stars instead of two because there’s a section at the end about how to talk to people who are grieving that I thought was helpful.

[Ferio · Rating 3 out of 5]

He de comentar este libro porque sé que a algunas personas les va a gustar. Lo escribe una señora que se pasa la vida en viajes de crucero jugando al bridge y otros eventos sociales comparables, y se puede resumir en: cuando llegues a cualquier sitio, sonríe, sé políticamente correcto, interésate por todo lo que no sea personal, político o religioso, y pasa de esta manera zombi por la vida hasta que seas el más popular del cementerio.

Le pongo 3 estrellas porque tiene un apartado específico sobre cómo comportarse en inauguraciones de galerías de arte.

[Candice]

Learned while reading this book how socially awkward I am. On the bright side, I was only 60 pages into the book before I had an opportunity to use a bit of what I learned and I think I did a lot better thanks to some of the suggestions in the book. It was a pretty easy, quick read and I got a lot out of it. The real question is will I continue trying to talk to people or crawl back into my shell?

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a nice, brief guide to topics and conversational strategies for any social or business setting. I wish someone had given this to me when I graduated from high school.

[Diana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Supposedly covers every situation, but really seemed to be only for business people networking.