
Meeting people for the first time can be scary, especially if you are a shy person. Most of the time, you will have no idea on how to strike a conversation with the other individual. At the same time, you may also get too conscious about your actions or words. When this happens, you tend to make mistakes or errors. As such, it is imperative to learn smart ways on how you can deal with the new people that you meet or encounter daily.
As America becomes increasingly diverse and moves ever closer to being the world’s first majority-minority nation, the need for cultural competence in all areas of health care becomes ever more acute. — Fabiana Franco, PhD
Before anything else, you need to train your mind that connecting with other people is an important step for your own personal and career development. For this reason, you must start to make an effort to foster good relationships or connections with strangers. Here are the top things to instill in your mind:
Never Make Unnecessary Comments
The first step to consider is to avoid giving negative comments or unnecessary remarks to the other person. Do not forget that you are only meeting for the first time. As such, it is essential to be careful with what you are going to say. Otherwise, you may end up annoying or offending the person that you are talking. If you want to say something to the other person, it is recommended that you think about it first.

A moment’s reflection reveals that language is a repository of cultural knowledge, one that captures and provides effective cues to a complex body of shared values, experiences and even a common past. — Vyv Evans Ph.D.
Get To Know Him First
Another thing that you have to do is to make an effort to reach out to the other person and get to know him. Do not be afraid to ask questions, as long as your inquiries are reasonable. The other person will appreciate it if you will try to strike a conversation with him and sustain it. As much as possible, refrain from asking personal questions. Take note that it is essential to respect boundaries when it comes to this matter.
Relax And Keep Your Cool
Do not have a flight or fly attitude when it comes to dealing with the new people you meet. It is only normal if you feel nervous or anxious about your first time interaction with them. Nonetheless, it is not an excuse to keep yourself stressed during the first encounter. All you must do is to train yourself to relax and keep your cool. Remember that when you start to panic, there is a higher chance that you will not be able to converse well with the other individual.

Not everyone shares the same norms as you. Try to imagine their perspective. — Marianna Pogosyan Ph.D.
Enjoy The Company
Let the other person know that you are enjoying your first meeting or introduction. You can do this by listening to his words seriously. As much as possible, respond to all his statements so that you can sustain the conversation. The other person will surely appreciate it if he can see that you are keen on talking to him. As such, refrain from using your phone while talking or doing other stuff while he is around. Give all your attention and focus on him so that he will feel better about you.