Mastering Small Talk in the Workplace
When you think of engaging in small talk, how does it make you feel? While surface-level polite conversations may not seem that important or enjoyable, especially in the workplace, small talk is essential for building rapport with coworkers and clients, building bridges across your network, and fostering long-term professional relationships. Mastering small talk does not have to be painful; with our tips, you can learn to appreciate the art of small talk!
Common small talk struggles
For some people, small talk can be a struggle. It may be because of social anxiety, stress about productivity, or many other factors, both internal and external. It’s valuable to address the obstacles that make small talk such a struggle for so many people in the first place to master this important social and professional skill.
Pandemic Challenges
While transitioning to a post-pandemic world, we still feel the impact on human connection today. Simply put, everyone is relearning how to communicate face-to-face again, which can lead to the next issue people face with having small talk.
Nervousness / Awkwardness
Everyone fears embarrassing themselves during deep conversations, especially when they’re unsure what to say or feel like they aren’t saying anything of value. These feelings of discomfort make small talk challenging to engage in in the first place.
Boredom
Regardless of who is talking, small talk has a bad reputation for being boring. While we strive for authenticity, vulnerability, and curiosity when we communicate in the hopes of connecting with others, the first steps to those better conversations can feel very uninteresting.
Overthinking Conversation
Whenever we place ourselves in a situation with someone new, we think, "What should I say?" Because our focus is so heavily based on ourselves seeming ‘cool’ or ‘interesting,’ we tend to overthink our words, avoiding small talk that can help us to learn more about who we are talking to while also giving us the space to be more of ourselves in the process.
Simple steps to better small talk
Fortunately, resolving the obstacles to successful small talk is easy through using some simple techniques.
Plan: Taking a few minutes to think about what you want to discuss can help make you feel more comfortable starting a conversation with someone new. When you have a plan, you take the first step to connecting to people confidently.
Use the FORM method: The best way to build rapport in a conversation is to find common ground, and one of the easiest ways to find common ground is to use the FORM method. Asking general questions about Family, Occupation, Recreation, and Motivation can help you learn more about your network and pave the groundwork for deeper conversation later.
Listen: Focus on the responses of the person you are talking to and be constantly curious about the conversation. Paying attention to the other person makes small talk flow naturally. By giving space for others to talk and share their thoughts and feelings, you can build upon the conversation by actively listening and giving thoughtful responses, with small talk being the starting point for more interesting topics.
Ask open-ended questions: Other than asking the generic "How are you?", open-ended questions are a simple way to use small talk to connect with others. Asking questions like, "What's been the best part of your day so far?" or "How are you feeling about this project?" can open the door to deeper conversation easily.
Have fun: Remember that small talk means to be low-stakes communication. Don't be afraid to take it less seriously and experiment with your approach. If you are willing to put yourself out there, you will always gain something from small talk, so enjoy the process!
With all the tips and tools available, you can use small talk to build rapport, create new connections, and make fun and meaningful conversations that everyone will enjoy. All you have to do is go out there and practice!
Learn more about developing top-talent skills for the workplace by reading more of our blogs!