Small Talk about Big Thing’s
Small talk: the great art of "small talk"
Do you think that small talk is a waste of time? Misrepresentation. Successful small talk is a very important factor in a career.
Rising in the morning in the office, you encounter an elevator with the boss. Your actions:
a) Say hello and wait for the boss himself starts a conversation.
b) Say hello and make a note about the weather.
The correct answer is the last one, because having talked with the chef in a neutral way, you will make a good impression on him. A harmless remark about traffic jams on roads, crowded subways or a sunny day is what you need, experts advise. But where to start such a conversation, sometimes even top managers do not know.
Not harmless conversation is not for everyone
It would seem that nothing is easier than to talk about "this - this," "about nature - about the weather." But if it was really that easy ... A practicing communication consultant teaches at his seminars how to conduct an easy conversation - small talk. Just in the professional sphere, you should not underestimate its importance.
"Any contact begins with small talk, so it's like a first mutual scan. Small talk is a very important factor in a career because it often depends on your contacts and relationships with certain people"
"Do not forget that small talk is just a means, so its content should not be in the foreground, in fact, the general atmosphere of the conversation is important." During a small talk, we subconsciously analyze the person's posture, his intonation, the general mood. We receive a lot of non-verbal information, which is why we need an easy, seemingly meaningless conversation. "
Important…
To small talk succeeded, experts recommend following several rules:
- Try to find a common theme as soon as possible, then your interest in the conversation will be genuine.
Listen carefully and show interest in what you hear.
- Ask open-ended questions, that is, those that are not followed by a monosyllabic answer "yes" or "no."
- Make compliments to your companion. But do not overdo it. Your praise should be justified.
- Regularly read and start an original hobby. This will make you an entertaining companion.
You can not ...
There are a number of things that you should not do, so that a casual conversation succeeds:
- Do not start a long conversation if you see that your interlocutor is in a hurry or busy with something else.
- Do not retell the contents of books or films, if no one but you is familiar with them.
- Do not affect those that can cause conflict or get unpleasant development. Such topics include politics, religion or illness.
In the US it is considered quite acceptable to talk about income, in Germany this topic is taboo.
How good this or that topic is, sometimes depends on the national mentality. "For example, in the south of Europe, the interlocutors often start talking about the family almost immediately, but in Germany, with not very familiar people, this topic is not discussed," the expert cites the example. "Not wanting to, we can touch someone with our question. , our interlocutor painfully experiences a divorce, or he has no children, because he can not have them. "The family theme is quite intimate, so it's better to bypass it."
It's right to lead small talk under everyone's power. You just need to constantly train: in the store, at the bus stop or at the gym. Then, at an important meeting or party, you can easily relax on general topics. Perhaps the next acquaintance will play a decisive role for your career.
It is not possible to please everyone, the main thing is not to offend anyone.
1. How can you assess your skills in Small Talk?
2. What would you talk about with Donald Trump for 2 minutes and using Small Talk skills?
Source
info by Vouge UA
https://youtu.be/JyN39BSL7OAhttps://youtu.be/Mib9E2ks8T0
Comments
2. I would probably start off with questions regarding his presidential work. That probably wouldn’t have happened though since if I were to meat president of USA. He would be the one initiating conversation as it seems more appropriate.
I think that with Donald Trump you can talk loosely on any subject, despite his position. I think I would ask about interest and passion, which he tries to do in his spare time.
If I met Donald Trump I would have a lot of things to say to him, but they definitely wouldn't be small-talkish. If I were to make a small talk to him I would probably ask about his trip to Poland - how did he like Warsaw etc.
Personally, I don't have a problem with small talk. If I meet someone new at the beginning, I don't say much but I listen and hear something about the other person. Generally I make contact with people quickly unless I see that the person thinks completely different than me. I don't like people without a sense of humor.
If I would get in a small talk with Donald Trump, I would try to understand the motives behind some of his decisions, which for me sound pretty unreasonable.
If I met Donald Trump I would pretend to be blind.
2. With such a successful person in business and life, I would talk about "how to become a confident person?", "How to distinguish a real possibility from an imaginary one?", And finally "what main rules of success did he gain during life? "
I think that i'm quite okay in ST. I don't have a problem with talking in various subjects, those more important as well as less. I think that in Poland it's polite when you start small talk when you meet someone.
What about Donald Trump... It's quite funny ;) I think that i will tell him that it's nice to meet him and ask how he feel today and share with him about my mood. Something very noncommittal.
If I had such an opportunity, I would probably like to ask for everything, but it wouldn't be enough for 2 minutes. If I were to use "Small talk" I would ask how the weekend has passed or what it thinks about the weather. I dont' know, 2 minutes is not enough time and unfortunately it's hard for me to say what I would like to ask.
1. I consider my small talk skills as average as I find it hard to talk to people which I have nothing in common with. It is then hard for me to find suitable topic because I can’t imagine talking about some dull topics like weather or traffic jams.
2. I would ask him where does he get his haircut :)
I am not a "small-talk' person. I hardly never start the conversation. Doesn't matter if it's in a gym, elevator or in a crowded bus. However, when someone pokes me and start the conversation with me, I have no problem to talk with this person for a longer time.
I think I would like to ask him what is the recipe for success (in his humble opinion).
Oh, I would really ask Trump how it feels to be president. Yeah, I know, that would be confusing and embarrassing, but I guess I would be a fool to loose such possibility)
And in life I guess I would tell something about the weather, and then either ask about something politically- or geographicaly neutral. Maybe talk about some interesting places or tell something interesting about europe or something like that
Well... Not good, I got problems with starting good conversations and keeping them alive... As well as choice of words is sometimes not good for my conversation partner, because I'm the unlucky guy. In many cases I unintentionally start topics, that are not comfortable for them.
What would you talk about with Donald Trump for 2 minutes and using Small Talk skills?
First of all, I would talk about his Mexican Wall and living in a White House. And I would let the conversation go by itself.
If i had 2 minutes of record with Donald Trump i would ask him what he thinks about the people who had democratically voted him President of the USA and now are suprised by his actions. Because i think its the biggest hypocrisy of our times.
I think that is okay. I have no problems with starting conversations but... a few years ago I was a little shy but it has changed when I found a job. I have a lot of people around me everyday and I like to talk with them in normal situations (kitchen, chill room).
What would you talk about with Donald Trump for 2 minutes and using Small Talk skills?
Hmmm, I don't know anything about Donald Trump but weather is always good start :P I hope that he is very talkative!
I would ask him whether he is really building the Trump Tower in Batumi (Georgia) or it is our government behind that?
I think you need to learn skills in small talk by gaining experience in this area, it cannot be learnt from the books. Well I do not know politics at all so that would be awkard meeting but I would probably ask him how he achieve this success, and things about living in whiote house thats all.
I think my small talk skills are quite good, because I’m a talkative person. Of course it mainly depends with who you are having conversation. With some people it’s very easy to communite, with others it goes harder due to lack of initiative on their part.
2. What would you talk about with Donald Trump for 2 minutes and using Small Talk skills?
I would ask him what is for him the biggest advantage of being US president and after just react depending on his answer
I was on the first Donald Trump's speech in the Europe which was in the Warsaw. If I had a opportunity to talk with him I would do this without big troubles.
I like small talks and I feel pretty comfortable with them. There is also one, crucial factor you didn't mention in your presentation - a smile, because sometimes it is a key to everything.
2. What would you talk about with Donald Trump for 2 minutes and using Small Talk skills?
I think I'd go with tons of quick and easy questions about his job and how is it to be the most important person in the world. I would also wait patiently for him to initiate the contact and start conversation.
I think I'm kinda good in small-talk. Overall, I think I'm a very talkative person(not in a negative way) and I know how to talk with people. There were many situations in my life, where my friends were telling me, that it's hard to talk with this or that person, but there wasn't any problem for me at all. What's more - I felt, that this conversation was "comfortable" for that specific person.
Maybe I'd ask him how "small" his father's loan was? ;)
I don't know if I good in small-talks you should ask my interlocutors :)
I am not interesting in talking with him. His actions speaks louder them himself.
For example in USA, you go to shop, you are welcomed by "HELLO, HOW ARE YOU MY FRIEND?" and you can talk for a while about anything but in Poland...
If I have a chance to talk to Mr. Trump I would ask about his wealth and how he become such a successful businessman.
For me the main component of small-talk is sincerity. Because when you do that just to make someone like you, it looks feignedly, so better just say hi, then begin a useless conversation.
2. What would you talk about with Donald Trump for 2 minutes and using Small Talk skills?
Maybe I will ask him for plans on a weekend, because this question makes him to share some intimate things, instead of standard well rehearsed answer.
Hmm.. in a nutshell - I'm still in development phase ;)
I consider myself pretty good in this area, I can make people intrested in our conversation, I've been practising that since I remeber. For more or less 3 yers consciously for sure.
Approaching and talking to people is amazing, and gives me incredible satisfaction. I believe that well played small talk can lead You to something big, something great - the key is to stay humble and listen to person that You're talking to.
If I had the opportunity to talk to Donald Trump, I would congratulate him on his success. Maybe my opinions and ideas are not the same, maybe his view is totally diffrent than mine, but I would tell him that I admire his determination. I would also ask about his point of view about success, and how to start acting. You can say whatever You want, but he's the president of US, I belive he work hard to get his position.