I remember when I stood and talked with someone, but I had to leave. I was exhausted because my attention span had diminished, and the conversation had grown awkward for many reasons. But I didn’t want to cut them off and couldn’t find the words to stop the conversation either.
What I didn’t know at the time was that there are polite ways of approaching the situation without making the person feel embarrassed.
Ending a conversation like that will help you retain a healthy professional relationship. Generally, closing a conversation ensures that you have addressed all the issues that each party wishes to discuss and that neither party has any further questions. So, learning how to end a conversation will help you properly conclude such an encounter at a networking event, at work, via video chat, or over the phone.
Because I have been a victim of this several times, I have gone to great lengths to research a solution by talking to at least 7 experts in relevant fields. In this article, I’ll review how to end a conversation, share some recommendations, and look at some examples based on my extensive research.
Key Points
- When drafting departure lines, consider using the past tense to indicate that the conversation has finished
- Setting a time for your next meeting can help people feel that the discussion was worthwhile and is coming to a satisfactory conclusion
- Thank the other person for their time, for sharing their knowledge, or just for making the talk enjoyable as you come to the end of it
Read Also: Social Media Etiquette: Best Practices
How to End a Conversation Politely
Learning how to end a conversation on a positive note will help you maintain a pleasant tone throughout the chat. Ending a conversation also provides an opportunity to change the tone of the debate. If you are at a loss for words during a conversation, you may find it useful to have some conversation-ending tactics. Here are several ways to respectfully conclude a conversation:
#1. Give the Other Person Praise
According to the first expert I spoke with (names withheld), complimenting the other person is a pleasant way to end a conversation. By congratulating the person, you signal that you are about to conclude the talk and walk out on a pleasant note of gratitude. By ending a conversation with a compliment, you might convey to the other person that you found the chat worthwhile and value their input.
#2. Prepare Exit Lines
Exit lines can highlight a task you want to complete or provide a farewell message. For example, you can end a conversation by saying you need to use the restroom because it’s a reasonable request, and many venues have them nearby. When drafting exit lines, consider using the past tense to indicate that the conversation has finished.
#3. Watch for a Pause in the Dialogue
Using specific words and phrases can change the course of a conversation. Conversational turning points can signal the start of a new subject or its conclusion. These are the best moments to leave a conversation.
#4. Please Excuse Yourself
Asking to leave the conversation by asking permission is a more direct way to terminate it. For instance, you could inquire if the other person would mind if you moved aside to take care of another matter or have a conversation with someone else. Thank the other person for their time, for sharing their knowledge, or just for making the talk enjoyable as you come to the end of it. To build the final connection and ensure the other person’s name sticks in your memory, think about using their name after your farewell.
#5. Present Additional Individual
When an exit strategy is unsuitable, try introducing your conversation partner to someone else. You might encounter a mutual acquaintance or make a new buddy with your conversationalist. When you welcome a new member, you may step away from the chat to give the other participants a chance to speak.
Why is it Important to be Polite When Ending a Conversation?
- A nice phrase will replace any words that may appear rude to the other person. Consider it as a “graceful exit.” These boundary-setting statements can let you chat with people without figuring out how to stop the conversation.
- A graceful exit ensures we have the confidence to take some conversational risks. We might be surprised at our unexpected and fulfilling conversations with a wider range of people.
- They may also be anxious about ending a conversation. Then, you can end up in one of those painful social situations where both people want to move on, but neither can make it happen, so you make increasingly awkward small talk for far too long. Or, if you’re with someone who talks for hours, you’ll come to fear and avoid their conversations, which eventually harms the relationship.
- And then there’s the fact that we all have busy schedules, and no matter how much you’d like to spend the afternoon chatting with a friend, you have to get to your next engagement. Or the conversation has simply lost its appeal.
Tips on How to Wrap Up a Discussion
Beyond the methods I mentioned above, here are tips to consider while concluding a conversation. But unlike the first, this is based on personal experience. These tips have worked for me time and time again.
#1. Request that They Introduce You to Another Person
This is a great way to handle networking gatherings. Find out if the person has recommendations for someone who could help you with a work-related issue.
#2. Look for an Environmental Cue
Take inspiration from your surroundings. For example, the food on the table reminds you to go home and make dinner.
#3. Express Your Appreciation and Gratitude
Making eye contact and displaying your willingness to spend time with the other person can be the key to successfully finishing a conversation. You can be honest and foster a more trustworthy relationship when your motives are genuine.
#4. Think About Asking them to Participate in a Shared Activity
This way, you can end the conversation and work with the person to organize other plans. Setting a time for your next meeting can help people feel that the discussion was worthwhile and is coming to a satisfactory conclusion.
#5. Spend some Time in Exchanging Pleasantries
A smile and a hand gesture can establish a connection and personalize your exit. After shaking hands, step back to prevent the discussion from picking up again.
#6. Distribute Copies of Your Business Cards
Business cards are an excellent method to make a lasting impression on a new coworker or potential business partner. Giving the other person a business card can signal you are open to additional discussion.
#7. Inquire About Meeting at the Next Networking Event
For example, you could express your desire to catch up during an upcoming conference. If they are ignorant of the event, this is an excellent moment to invite them to come.
#8. Think About Putting a Time Limit on it
An implicit method of establishing the tone of the conversation is to lay out your expectations before you start. One example of what you could say is that you have an appointment at a specific time and can’t talk for too long.
Checklist on How to End a Conversation Politely.pdf
How To End A Conversation Politely At Work
The best approach to end a conversation at work, regardless of the topic, is to be confident, respectful, and professional. Whether you’re making small talk or having a fascinating conversation with your employer, colleague, or subordinate, it’s essential to maintain proper social etiquette and end the interaction on a positive note.
Well, this also comes from experience and learning from professionals. I used to suck at it at some point. It also made me look really unsocial and negative, but I learned. And the funny thing is that ending a conversation professionally and politely at work seems to be the easiest of all.
#1. Summarize the Essential Topics
Summarizing key points is an excellent method to conclude a discussion with a colleague or team about new work tasks or goals.
If you want to end a conversation with a coworker or conclude an important meeting, summarizing what has been stated is a polite and professional way of doing so. Even better, this discussion ender will help guarantee that everyone is on the same page and comprehends the most important aspects of the topic.
#2. Set Up a Progress Meeting for Next Time
Suggesting a future time or date to chat can be a fantastic approach to end a conversation momentarily while leaving it up for future discussion if you’re pressed for time but still want to continue an important subject.
You can quickly end a chat in the present by scheduling a progress meeting for later. This discussion starter helps both parties prepare for future talks, so it’s especially useful when discussing specific work projects or status updates.
#3. Inform them that You Must Return to Your Work
Ending a conversation at work is not as difficult as you would believe. Since you are at work too, it is very reasonable to use work as an excuse to end a conversation.
It is appropriate and professional to tell a coworker, “It was great talking with you, but you better get back to work,” or to add, “I’ll let you get back to work.”
#4. Put a Summary of the Projects You are Working on at the End
This is an excellent method to wrap up a discussion with your manager or supervisor because it demonstrates your motivation, productivity, efficiency at work and professionalism.
Saying something like, “Over the past few weeks, I’ve been concentrating on updating our company website. I’ve added eye-catching data visualizations, written blog posts optimized for search engines, and improved the usability of the homepage.” The phrase “It was nice talking with you, but I better get back to those projects” is an excellent way to finish a conversation.
#5. Provide Your Assistance
If a coworker approaches you for advice and the conversation is taking longer than you would like, offering to review the project they requested assistance with quickly or to take a quick look over their work is a great way to end the conversation. This will allow you to support your colleague and maintain integrity while ending the conversation.
The Importance of Ending a Conversation Politely At Work
The idea that ending a conversation is a skill may sound absurd. Nonetheless, there are several reasons why it’s crucial to understand when to end a conversation at work, including:
#1. Civility
Simply put, concluding a conversation correctly is courteous. This helps you establish a better reputation than what would otherwise happen.
#2. Conserves Social Energy
Some conversations are just too tiring. Extracting oneself from a conversation that is becoming pointless will help you avoid wasting social energy.
#3. Makes Clear the Topics that Were Covered
Concluding a discussion with an acknowledgement of the topics covered helps to avoid future misunderstandings. This is especially crucial in the job because you don’t want to leave a conversation feeling different from the other person or persons.
#4. Efficient Use of Time
When a conversation lasts too long, it takes time away from other demands, projects, or activities. Learning when and how to stop a discussion can help maximize your time.
How do You end a dry text conversation?
Wait to reply if you haven’t had anything to say to someone after a long period of messaging. To avoid giving the impression that you are disregarding the message, try to devise an idea within 15 to 30 minutes. If you run out of things to say, end the call by indicating you’re busy and will chat later.
What is the proper closing of the conversation?
Summarizing your points and indicating that you must go is a smart way to end any conversation. For example, “I really enjoyed hearing about the new book you’re reading.”
How do you end a conversation first?
- Friendly goodbye: “It was lovely catching up with you! …
- Professional goodbye: “Thank you for your thoughtful discussion.
- Quick sign-off: “I must go now, but let’s text later.”
- Phone call conclusion: “I need to start preparing for my next appointment.”
Conclusion
With the correct conversational techniques, wrapping up a business or personal conversation can be simple and stress-free. It can even help you strengthen relationships or advance in your job.
The best way to end a conversation properly and professionally is to evaluate it, decide when to end it, and then use specific techniques like exchanging business cards, making references to the future, apologizing, maintaining a friendly and informal tone, summarizing important points of the conversation, or connecting on social media.
Follow the advice in this article. You’ll be well on your way to mastering the art of conversation and concluding informal, awkward, and professional discussions in a way that leaves a good impression.
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