Think back to the most recent social event you attended—it’s likely you had to interact with people you didn’t know well or don’t see very often. Those situations require us to call upon our small talk skills—and for many, such situations produce a certain amount of anxiety and discomfort. Being a good conversationalist requires us to start talking about something—usually something light-hearted or devoid of potential strife. Small talk sticks to the outer edges of ideas, often consisting of commentary about the weather or local news or inquiries about one’s family.
In this episode of Persuasion, Erin Straza and Hannah Anderson continue their Talking about Talk series with a conversation about the social chit chat that causes many a heart to flutter. What is it about small talk that makes us so uncomfortable? Is small talk even necessary? What good do social pleasantries contribute to a larger conversation?
Listen in for dialogue on questions like these, then continue the conversation on Twitter @PersuasionCAPC or in the CAPC members-only community on Facebook.
Hannah Anderson: Web / Twitter
Persuasion Podcast: PersuasionPodcast.buzz / Twitter / Instagram / Facebook
Persuasion 148 Resources & Links
The Art of Small Talk, Toastmasters
A communication expert shares 4 conversation tips for people who hate small talk, Business Insider
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Persuasion 63: Insensitive Small Talk Packs a Painful Punch Be Human
CAPC Members Only Podcast #18: Holiday Small Talk Survival with Persuasion
Theme music by Maiden Name.