The New Corner Office: Small talk makes a big impact

Small talk is a skill, and you can improve

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Episode Transcript

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(01:35):
This is Laura. Welcome to the New Corner Office, the
podcast where we share strategies for thriving in the new
world of work, where location and ours are more flexible
than in the past. Today's tip is to recognize the
value of small talk, because small talk makes a big impact.

(01:55):
If you're a task oriented person like me, you may
be inclined to minimize chit chat while you're working. You
want to be productive and get your job done. Productivity
is definitely a good thing, but as I've often said,
people are a good use of time. Don't underestimate the

(02:15):
value of seemingly unproductive interactions at work. Relationships with people
in and beyond our organizations are vital to our professional success,
and small talk smooth the way for deeper connection. Being
good at small talk means being ready to talk about
something besides the coronavirus, working from home, or the weather.

(02:38):
Please no more with the weather. You want to aim
for topics that, while light, are interesting and can help
you and your conversation partner. Find common ground for starters.
Stay on top of pop culture and sports, at least
to the extent that you can be an engaged listener.
No name that's on the cover of magazine should be

(03:01):
entirely unfamiliar. As for sports, yes, it's hard to follow
much right now, but in the future you should know
whether the college and proteins in your area are having
a good or disappointing season. It helps to scan the
sports headlines of your local paper and look at the
covers of magazines. Maybe while you're waiting in line at
the grocery store. When someone brings up a pop culture

(03:24):
topic that you're unfamiliar with, see it as a chance
to learn. No, I haven't watched Tiger King, but I
keep hearing about it. What do you think makes it
so compelling? Or it sounds like you're an Eagles fan?
When did you first start following them? Questions like these
keep the conversation flowing and the relationship growing, and who knows,

(03:45):
you might get some ideas about ways you'd like to
spend some of your free time. In the process. Also,
be ready to share what you're interested in outside of work.
This means that Yep, you need some interest outside of work.
It doesn't have to be training for a marathon, though
it could be. You can also talk about a project
in your yard, your sour dough starter, the book you

(04:07):
just read for a book club, whatever. Ideally, you have
a few things, so if one line of conversation doesn't
pan out, you've got another to try with the person
who asked so nicely, what's keeping you busy. It can
also be helpful to collect good news. Maybe it's the
valedictorian in your city who used to be homeless and
it is now headed to Stanford, or your son learning

(04:30):
to ride his bike last weekend. Maybe it's the new
restaurant in your neighborhood that opened during the pandemic and
yet still has a line around the block for takeout
orders every evening. Prepare yourself to share stories that will
lift people's spirits. You might start taking notes of these
while perusing headlines. Small talk helps us connect with each
other and enjoy our common life together. And yes, it

(04:53):
can be tedious. I get that it's not natural for
me either. But like most things, small talk is a
skill you can consciously work to get better at it,
and when you do you will find that small talk
is magically much less tedious. Imagine that what are your

(05:14):
go to topics for small talk? You can let me
know at Laura at Laura Vanderkam dot com. In the meantime,
this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's the succeeding
in the New Corner Office. The New Corner Office is
a production of I Heart Radio. For more podcasts, visit

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the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you
get your favorite shows. Hi. I'm Hillary Clinton and I'm
so excited to be back with a third season of
you and Me both. When I started this podcast, we
were going through some tough times, and let's face it,
we still are. And here's what I know. We cannot

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get through this alone. So please join me for more
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