[sivetic]

I found the bigget opportunity for conversation was also the most awkward time for me in the past - lunches and breaks at an 8-10 person table. Most people sat around quietly, or talking to people they worked with. I always waited for someone else to start a conversation with me, until I realized most other people are doing the exact same thing, which led to very little conversation. Now, I will try to engage the other people at the table by asking about their job, or the presentations they've seen. Usually people are relived at having someone talk to them without staring the conversation themselves. It does however require taking that first step of initiating, which can be the hardest part.