5 Tips to mastering the art of small talk



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Do you remember when you first became a parent and the things you learned? For me it was like learning a new language. I discovered words such as layette, bassinette and Onesie. It was not long before I learned to use these words in conversations with other moms.

As my boys are going through the teen years during the times of texting, I’ve again had to learn to converse using a new language… text talk. I have become familiar with terms such as LOL (laugh out loud), BFF (best friend forever), SMH (shaking my head) and TTYL (talk to you later). Although my son tells me that I overuse “LOL” I can still say that I know how to use it in context.

Now that I have a handle on the above two “languages” I’ve learned that there is something else that I need to master – the art of small talk. Sometimes making small talk is not the easiest thing to do. There are those who have the gift of gab and those of us who could use a little assistance. The Wall Street Journal gave tips on how to be a better small talker when engaging in a conversation with strangers (The Wall Street Journal-Health & Wellness- August 13, 2013).

1.      Get started – It’s ok to start with talking about the weather. It’s a good opening to signal the desire to talk.

2.      Introduction – tell the person your name or something about yourself, make it easy for the other person to do the same thing. Avoid talking about your favorite subject so that you don’t talk too much and dominate the conversation.

3.      Find a topic – ask questions or expand on earlier comments made during your conversation.

4.      Proceed with caution – If it seems the other person is talking too much, lead the conversation in another direction, and offer information about yourself.

5.      Exit Gracefully – signal the end of the conversation by offering your business card, Facebook information or another way to stay in touch.

So, what’s the take away value of these tips you ask? Conversations start friendships, clinch deals and make us likable. In this day and age of technology and social media, it’s easy to get rusty in our conversational skills. Every now and then it’s good to make sure we still know how to converse with another person…in person.

What tips do you have for mastering the art of small talk?

Until later or TTYL.