A regular at the lounge told me my conversation style was too direct

I used to jump right into deep topics when meeting new people here, thinking it made things interesting. A regular named Mike pulled me aside after a chat about politics and said, 'You're a smart person, but you come on too strong. Let the small talk breathe a little.' That feedback hit me hard because I always saw small talk as a waste of time. For the past month, I've been trying to start with simpler things like the weather or a show on the lounge TV. It feels weird at first, but I've noticed people stick around longer now. They seem more relaxed before we get into the heavier stuff. What's a good small talk topic you've found works to get a real chat going?

3 comments

3 Comments

hannahm3913d ago

Ask about their commute, it's a goldmine.

harper6934d ago

Wait, isn't asking about someone's commute kind of a downer? That's like asking them to relive the worst part of their day. I'd rather hear about a weird podcast they found or something they saw out the window.

robert_lopez6413d ago

Let the small talk breathe" is good advice, but asking about a person's weekend usually opens a real door.