Group talks have distinctive unstructured chaotic nature and come across as one of the most challenging social interactions an introvert or a shy and socially anxious person may find her/himself involved into.
In this short article I would like to present you the idea of the point of no return in groups talks, and how it can harm or help you.
I regard myself as a introverted person. Still I’m very eager to participate in social interactions despite the excess of them leaves me completely drained of my energy.
Nevertheless, when you just meet up with your friends, you are fresh and anticipate that you’ll spend some really good time with them.
When the talk starts (or you join active one), it’s OK to spend a number of initial minutes to tune in to a vibe of the conversation. It’s fine to feel kind of tongue-tied in the beginning.
However, once you figured out the kind of discussion: its topic, its mood — you have like about 5 minutes at max to kick your two cents in.
If you miss that point, two unpleasant things start to unfold:
a) You begin getting nervous that you haven’t said anything yet. And that if you say something now it will look awkward after so much silence from your side;
b) Other people may start considering you as quiet, and will begin to ignore you (like making no eye contact with you).
The Point of No Return, though having a dramatic name, is not that fatal, of course. Missing it does not necessarily make you obliged to stay silent through the rest of the group conversation.
It’s more of a warning sign which may make it a bit harder for you to start talking once you’ve passed it.
