Mastering Small Talk At Work

Key Takeaways

Our CEO and Founder, Jessica Chen, recently hosted a Soulcast Media | LIVE event on LinkedIn where she interviewed the Founder of Bright Ideas Only and Keynote Speaker, Kim Kaupe. They shared tips and personal stories about mastering small talk at work.

Here are the takeaways for VIP Comm Pass members:

• When it comes to small talk, Kim says you have to think of it like a fishing expedition. Having a goal in mind makes things a lot easier. You are fishing for tidbits you can follow up on. You can ask about people or what they are up to that weekend. You can also ask if they're reading or listening to anything interesting.
• A great way to break the ice on a Zoom call before the meeting begins is to ask what everyone is watching right now.
• Small talk is part of business. You have to be able to connect with other people.
• Small talk gives you an amazing reason to follow up with people and engage in more conversations.
• When you talk to someone, think about what they know, love, or like. These topics will make small talk much easier.
• General topics also can lead to great small talk. This can be the weather or sports. 
• If possible, try to avoid talking about work when making small talk.
• Small Talk Introduction Formula:
  • Use a rhetorical question stating the problem
  • Talk about the solution
  • Share proof
• You can tailor your introductions depending on where and who you are with.
• Use an analogy to help others understand what you do. 
• Keeping the small talk more high-level can help you avoid oversharing. Instead of giving all the details about your weekend, you can say what show or movie you watched.
• When engaging with someone where there is a big power distance, use it as an opportunity to "copy their homework," as Kim said. You can say, "I'm in a season of learning. Do you have any podcasts you recommend, books you like, or newsletters you read often?"
• You need to be proactive and not assume someone will to talk to you, especially if there is a big power distance.
• When transitioning from small talk to real talk, you want to be strategic, so it isn't abrupt. For example, you can say, "Dan, I could talk to you all day about this show, but I know we only have 30 minutes set aside for this meeting, so we need to dive into these sales numbers." When you do this, you give them a compliment and show them respect for their time.
• Remember to fish for something when engaging in small talk. Something you can use, reference, or follow up on in the future.
• Make the first move to engage in small talk.

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