i think the problem is that people actually find silences to be awkward, to me this is normal, sometimes a conversation will flow for short bursts, sometimes for a while if both are interested, sometimes randomally, sometimes unconventionally, sometimes flowingly ...all of these are in fact normal ways of communicating in conversation.
i think half the problem is those who think that a conversation has to be a non stop back and forth tennis game cramming in as much information as possible has to be standard protocol. I think it's a very needy mindset to believe that a conversation has to be this way as a lengthy process and that this is based on approval seeking at its most neurotic, my advice is to welcome all forms of communication with the same acceptance of normality.
so the next time you sit with a group of people and it feels awkward then great! because its not awkward, its only awkward because you are making it that way, instead see it as normal, people are different, i have had quiet friends and chatty friends, none of the interactions you have are awkward unless you make them that way because of what you believe in your head.
seriously, sit down with one or two friends, family members and just say random silly words, be unconventional and as the talking heads lyrics goes, "stop making sense" ..meaning embrace interaction as something that has many dimensions.
