Small talk may seem trivial but it’s a natural way for people to connect. It may seem like a waste of time, but it serves a vital role in our social interactions. Big relationships may be built on small talk.
The most common type of small talk is the one in which you engage with strangers. Like people queueing with you at the bank, the mailman you bumped into outside when he comes in with your post or even, hairdressers, waiters, receptionists, among others. Other people you may be small talking with can be other employees in your department, who may not be friends with you, but you work with or people at cocktail parties or participants at networking events.
Sometimes you may start a small talk with the people you meet, there may be a few ways in which you can nail creating a long-lasting first impression -
1. Find Common Ground
Find common ground for the other person to relate. Engage in light-hearted comic banter. It is important that you try to avoid highly controversial topics to start with. Sometimes you tend to have highly opinionated views about politics or current affairs, contradicting with those you have just met. This may harm your first impression in the mind of the person you are talking to.
2. Stick to Easy Topics
It is vital that you talk about easy topics at your first meeting. These may not be just ‘how is the weather?’ talks. Easy topics may include sports, entertainment, food, family, or travel. While controversial topics may lead to a difference of opinions, similarly it is critical that awkward topics like religion, death or illness, personal gossip, and offensive jokes should also be avoided.
3. Ask Meaningful Questions
Be relatable. You should ask meaningful and relatable questions so that you will have a valuable addition every time you meet someone new. You can add some of your personal experiences to the extent that it is relevant to the person you are talking to. You should not be an over-sharer, that the person will get bored and try to avoid you.
4. Invite Stories
Change your attitude about the conversation. See to it that you show genuine interest in the conversation you are having. It is vital that you wait for the other person to start the conversation and let him talk more. You should try to avoid talking about your favorite topic or you will end up talking more than you should. Sometimes just listening to others may prove to be useful for you in the most unexpected ways. Thus, you should learn to listen more than you speak.
In conclusion, it can be noted that small talk works wonders. If done properly, it will display your best qualities in a positive way. It will build trust, respect, and comfort. You will get valuable information about the other person and will be able to bond with them. Small talk can open doors in ways you can never expect, practicing it as often as possible and developing this skill to see the benefits it can provide.
Written by - Saee Wagh
Edited by - Mayank Tak
Social