You think, I won’t know anyone there. Learn why people who "don't try" often are so socially successful. Join our free training and learn these 5 secrets to making friends. Learn to get past shallow small talk. And luckily for you, that's nearly every day here on this blog. At the office, people make small talk in elevators or lunchrooms and even in restrooms, especially if there is a line-up. People also make small talk in a doctor's or dentist's waiting room, or in queues at the grocery store. So keep the conversation about them: pepper them with questions, think of their answers like a chance to hear a really good story, and move your small talk into a chance to make a new friend… When attending a party with mixed friend groups, you’re inevitably going to meet new people. 25 Secrets to Being the Best Party Guest EverFor shy people or those with social anxiety, small talk can seem like a mountain that is way too intimidating to climb. Small Talk: The Not-So-Silent Relationship Killer. I don’t like small talk (in the sense of frivolous conversations), but I recognize their purpose as conversation openers and space fillers in otherwise enjoyable conversations, tools to discover tidbits about the other party, or tools to decrease social distance (such as a manager using small talk to engage a team member).. If you’re ready to start having awesome conversations, check out my list of favorite questions, divided by small talk topics that most people can get behind. Making small talk is an important skill for a variety of social situations. Obviously these don’t apply to everyone in every situation—but there are certainly enough here that you should be able to … Having an arsenal of topics you are comfortable chatting about is a good place to begin. Some social events (such as a party) require small talk … Know where to find people who are more like you; Improve socially without doing weird out-of-your-comfort-zone stunts. But maybe events like these, the ones that require small talk, bring more anxiety than excitement. 10/29/2014 12:05 pm ET Updated Dec 06, 2017 It's your favorite day of the week: any day when I regale you with my thoughts about how to improve your ability to connect to other people. Making small talk is an art that can be mastered. And that means that, whether or not you like it, you're going to have to make small talk. If you find the art of small-talk challenging, but at heart would like to be more talkative, one conversational technique can help you to avoid those awkward ‘what-to-talk-about’ moments with friends, colleagues and even strangers. As you can see, making small talk with someone you’ve just met is easy if you remember to stick to neutral, general conversation topics. 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