How to get better at small talk (and even enjoy it)

10 MINUTES

Small talk is an art, not a triviality. Here’s how you can master it

Small talk – those fleeting conversations with someone you don’t know well, or are meeting for the first time – is few people’s favourite thing, and many people’s least favourite thing. But, as Matt Abrahams, an author and lecturer in organisational behaviour at Stanford University, argues in this video, there are some simple strategies to help you transform small talk into an opportunity to connect, learn and grow. Opening a toolbox of practical tips intended for the gregarious and the small talk-averse alike, Abrahams offers some useful advice for getting more out of your lift rides, parties and business conferences – including how to avoid an awkward ending and how to find a graceful way out.

COMMUNICATION AND LANGUAGEFOCUS AND ATTENTIONSOCIAL ANXIETY

Video by the Harvard Business Review

Director: Erik Scanlon

Producer: Scott LaPierre

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