Walk into any room and look for the person standing alone. That’s the skill nobody teaches.

Most people walk into a room scanning for who they already know, which is the scan that leaves somebody on their own by the wall. Looking for the person nobody has reached yet is a different search and takes about three seconds. It is not taught anywhere, and almost everybody has been on the other side.

You do not need to be charming to do this. Stand next to them and say one ordinary thing, about the room or the lesson or how long the queue is, and let them decide whether they want more. Some will not, and the ones who do remember who came over.