Peter Murphy asked:


No matter which type of setting you are in, be it a professional or personal relationship, it would have started with small talk. If you would not take the initiative to talk with somebody, your social circle would not widen and your business opportunities will be limited to those who you already know. This is the reason why you need to learn how to make small talk so that you will be able to connect with other people in any social setting.

However, making small talk is not a skill that a lot of people have. Sometimes, engaging in even the most casual of conversations is enough to make someone nervous. The good news is that making small talk is an acquired skill - something that you can develop. You just need to know how to get started and here are some small talk topics that you can use to get things going:

1. Talk about the setting.

For example, if you are waiting in line for coffee, make a casual but pleasant comment about how long the line is. In a business setting, a simple comment about the decor or the ambiance of the place. Talking about the setting will give others the signal that you are willing to make small talk. If you get another comment in response, then a casual conversation will start. If you just get a polite smile in return, then the other person may not be as willing to start a conversation with you, which should be your signal to back off a little.

2. Talk about the things that you would like to know about someone that you just met.

If you remember that time when you first met the person who is now your best friend, do you remember what you first talked about? The getting-to-know each other phase should give you small talk topics. Where they work, where they live, what they do for a living, their family - these are just some of the neutral topics that can be your basis for making small talk. People naturally want to talk about themselves and these things should break the ice and keep the words flowing.

3. Talk about how their day has been so far.

If you do not normally strike up a conversation with a neighbor that you always run into in the hallway, or with the cashier in the supermarket that you always go to, asking them how their day has been so far is a great way to make small talk. Also, practice makes perfect and if you are not the outgoing type, there is no better way to start than now so you should go out of your way and give out the impression to casual acquaintances that you are easy to talk to. Some small talk would not hurt anybody, in fact it gives you an opportunity to broaden your social and personal relationships.

4. Talk about current events.

What is happening in the country and even around the world, news and current events are just some of the small talk topics that you can choose to strike up a casual conversation with someone. Talk about what you recently heard in the news, or a human interest item that caught your eye on TV, or an article in a magazine that you found interesting.

By knowing these small talk topics by heart, you will never run out of things to say. When making small talk, remember to keep the conversation just that - quick and casual, and do not try to drag it out into one of those long, drawn-out and awkward conversations. End the small talk gracefully and make a comment about how nice it is to have chatted with the person that you are speaking with. With these tips in mind, making small talk will be a piece of cake for you!



Roy

Peter Murphy asked:


If you have never mastered the art of conversing, then you can probably settle for mastering the art of making small talk. This is a necessity in any social or professional setting - and making small talk is the lesser evil - when you compare it to suffering a long, drawn out and awkward silence.

Gathering enough courage to actually approach someone will be a lot easier if you use the art of making small talk. Now, if the thought of uttering the first word and making small talk is enough to give you a sweaty palm, then you need to know how to get over these fears and insecurities. Here are some tips that you can keep in mind when making small talk:

1. If you **** the idea of making small talk, get comfort in the thought that lots of other people **** it, too. You can motivate yourself by thinking that breaking an awkward silence is up to you and you need to make the first move and make small talk. It may be easier said than done, but once you get started, the next time would prove to be a lot easier. First, you need to muster the courage to go out of your way and start making small talk. A casual greeting or comment is a great way to start.

2. Making small talk is a way to connect with other people, so you need to make sure to go out of your way to make the other person feel as comfortable as possible. If you have no idea about what you should talk about, choose neutral and general points of interest.

The weather and traffic may be worn-out subjects, but they are a surefire way of starting off a conversation. From there, you can move on to more general points of interest like the movies, music, concerts, a book that you have just read, news, current events, a popular TV show - the possibilities are endless.

3. Remember that you should keep things short and casual. When making small talk, casual is the key word. In any given situation, whether you are talking with a neighbor, the grocer, the bartender, or somebody from work - making small talk is the way of connecting with them in a very basic, social way. Be nice, remain polite, know your boundaries and do not be overly intrusive when fishing for things to talk about or searching for a common ground.

You would not reveal your innermost secrets to a total stranger, so you need to broaden your knowledge of common topics to kick things off. Getting to know the other person in a casual level and finding common points of interest are two of the most basic goals in engaging in small talk. If you refuse to respond to the slightest opening that another person would like to have a conversation with you, then you are denying yourself the chance to enhance your personal and professional relationships with other people.

4. Be sensitive, polite and responsive to the reactions of other people - as well as the situation - when making small talk. To be able to survive any given situation, you need to learn how to adapt to any given situation. When have just joined a group that is already in the middle of a conversation, try to avoid any comments that may offend or that is extremely irrelevant to the topic at hand. When you are with a large number of people, try to listen more than you talk and do not attempt to hog the conversation.

Engaging in conversation is a social necessity and you may just find yourself enjoying the process if you know the small talk topics to talk about, the proper approach to take, how to keep the conversation flowing - and finally, how to make a graceful exit.



Deborah

Peter Murphy asked:


Small talk has a way of connecting people in some level, and it actually serves as the starting point of a personal or a professional relationship. Do not worry if you find the thought of making small talk daunting, because a lot of people share the same fear.

Some cannot bear the thought of rejection so they would not like to make the first move in starting a casual conversation, while others are intimidated by the thought that they may not know what to talk about! Just like striking up a conversation with a person that you like when you are in the dating scene, there are also some ‘rules’ that you can follow in making small talk. Here’s how:

1. Make a comment on something obvious.

If you are standing in line in a store and it is not moving, casually say to the person next to you “I wonder what is taking so long?” Of course, this statement needs to come out pleasantly, in such a way that you will appear to be whining or complaining. The weather, traffic or your location are also some of the things that you can comment on. Since you will only be engaging in small talk, you do not need to come up with a witty or in-depth comment about a particular subject - something simpler or even stating the obvious would be a safer bet.

2. Try to muster all the self-confidence that you have and use it to make other people feel comfortable.

When you walk into a room full of strangers, do you just keep to yourself or do you try and mingle? Self-confidence plays an important part in making small talk. Also, the thought of getting another person to actually respond to your comments will also take a certain amount of self-confidence on your part.

The key to breaking the ice and engaging in small talk is to make the other person feel as comfortable as possible. Asking questions, listening intently to what they have to say and trying to find common points of interest are some of the things that you need to do when engaging in casual conversation.

3. Use humor or your knowledge of a wide array of topics when making small talk.

The fear of not knowing what to talk about is one of the things which prevents some people from making small talk. This is the reason why you have to broaden your knowledge of a wide array of topics so that you will have something to contribute to any conversation.

Humor is also a great icebreaker, you can start by sharing a self-deprecating comment when you introduce yourself to get a laugh out of the person that you are chatting with. Or, share a brief anecdote about what happened on your way over. Discussing general subjects like work, sports and hobbies are also good conversation starters.

4. Do not dominate or hog the conversation.

You might have read somewhere that there are basically two kinds of people. One who, when walking into the room, would say “I am here,” while another one would say “There you are!.” The difference between the two shows that the person who says “I am here” is focused on himself, while the second one focuses more on other people. The same principle can apply when making small talk. Do not let it be all about you. Small talk, no matter how casual, should involve the other person as well so do not hog the conversation. Try to listen and ask about the other person’s opinion.

When making small talk, just keep these things in mind and know when to make a graceful exit - and in no time at all, you can turn small talk and casual conversation into an art form that you have already mastered.



Jeanette

.Samantha asked:


David Wright on David Letterman Where???

Johnny

farfarraf asked:


2 on each list is almost always more entertaining than #1!

Joyce

louie666pwu asked:


For those who don’t seem to know, McCain cancelled on Letterman at the last minute, and then lied to him, saying that he had to rush back to Washington. Then Letterman showed McCain, just down the street, putting on lipstick for his meeting with Couric. Then McCain stayed in New York most of Thursday. But he told Letterman he was getting on a plane immediately. What a LIAR!

Irene