By John Rampton You’re talking with someone at a conference when it happens: You realize the conversation’s over. You’re both still contributing to the dialogue, but you’re just filling time with mindless banter. At this point, you have a couple of choices. You could stay and allow the other person to monopolize your time, but that would be self-defeating, because you won’t be able to network with anyone else. You’re there to expand your connections so you can get bigger-network benefits like having access to thought leaders and referral sources. You could also wrap up the conversation quickly. That’s easier said than done, though: After all, you don’t want to hurt the other person’s feelings or sound foolish in the process. Related: 10 Rules for Successful Networking Take heart. This is one of those awkward moments that every professional runs into, including the extroverts who seem to be able to talk with anyone. The …