The Art of Small Talk

Wikipedia defines small talk as "conversation for its own sake."  Small talk.  It's something we all engage in on a regular basis but it IS an art.  Most people are terrible at it, but small talk is very important.  Small talk is a great way to network and form relationships.  Most people don't want to talk about work and they'd rather talk about the world cup or how hot it is outside. Life is stressful so if you can strike up a conversation about the little nuances in life, you'll be patting yourself on the back later.

I came across a great article on PRBreakfast Club on tips for engaging in small talk.  The article provides a lot of great ideas on what to talk about and what to avoid.  Check it out here.

The one thing I do disagree with in the article is that they say to avoid politics and current events, such as the BP oil spill.  I think that these days a lot of good conversations can come about from discussing current events.  From personal experience, I sit across from a TV in the reception area..where I almost always have CNN on....talking about the news is a great discussion topic.

Small talk. Try it sometime.