Taking the time to approach a shy person and help them break out of their shell can be incredibly rewarding for both parties.
John Stoker, president of DialogueWORKS and author of "Overcoming Fake Talk," says that 40% or more of the population would classify as "shy," meaning they may be comfortable sitting in a conference session, but they're not comfortable talking to you first at a social event.
Why? Because they're afraid of rejection, he explains - and they will do anything to keep from being singled out.
So how do you approach a shy person (who you don't know) and put them at ease? Follow the six steps below: