HEALTH TIPS: THE ART OF SMALL TALK.
First, a distinction needs to be made between small and big
talk. Many people struggle with the first but not the second.
Remember, small talk means small talk – a wonderful smile
that could also be applied to the most successful small talk. Aim to make it
light, sparkly, and happy.
Before considering what you say, be conscious of how you say
it. The basics of body language should be obvious enough. Keep your hands out
of your pockets and your arms uncrossed. Smile, nod, laugh and maintain eye
contact. And also work on your voice. Avoid the dreary, monotonous whine that
so many people use.
Don’t put people on the defensive – the golden rule of small
talk is not to antagonize the other person. Keep the topics light and easy.
Avoid anything that may start on argument
or offend the other person. You should also avoid anything too personal.
Never ask a vague question. The more personal the questions, the more likely
you are to touch a sore spot. If you are about to meet someone new, try and
find out a little about them first.
Secondly, you should try not to dispute or argue especially
if the point is a trivial one.
Giving people something to work with – some people make
small talk harder by constantly replying with a “yes”, “no” or “don’t know”.
Example if someone ask you whether if you are a basketball fan, don’t just say
“no”. you can say “no, I’m a fan of soccer. Or you say I follow Chelsea. Even
if the other person loathes soccer, it may set off a train of thought.
This is how small talk ebbs and flows – the key is to
establish some kind of common ground. In the above example, you and the other
person have established a mutual love.
The best small talk is cheerful, upbeat and flits from topic
to topic. Don’t go into excessive detail about anything. If you hope to
interest the other person, find their passion; touch on that and you will see
their face light up. You can try out with music, movies, entertainment,
fashion, pets, politics and so on. Most people will have an interest in at
least one of it. And when they speak be interested.
Finally, you don’t need to dazzle the room. It is enough to
simply be polite, cheerful, and friendly.
So therefore you can start right away to start putting those skills to
work.
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