Ask genuine questions that youre actually interested in If you find yourself in the midst of an awkward moment, simply ask the other person about their passions, interests, wants, or desires, or give them a compliment—about their shirt, their beard, a bracelet, or a bag—that could spark an interesting backstory.

What to do when its awkward silence?

Here are my 18 best tips to avoid awkward silence:Ask open-ended questions. Stop seeing silence as your fault. Give more than bare minimum answers. Talk about feelings and opinions instead of facts. Go back to a previous topic. See it as a sign to end the conversation. Lower your standards for what to say.More items •1 Oct 2020