3 Ways to Get Past Small Talk

I do not enjoy small-talk.

I love getting to the deeper topics that people don’t share as freely.

With practice, you can get there faster.

Here’s what I’ve learned:

1/ Be genuinely interested (feel it!)

There’s no hack for this other than to imagine yourself in their shoes.

What’s their situation like? What were their emotions?

Ask questions! Care about the process and outcome!

2/ Don’t wait for your turn to talk.

This just leads to talking at each other, back and forth.

It can even get worse with one-upmanship, where you just try and outdo each other.

3/ Ask about things they care about.

The usual ones:

1. Kids
2. Pets
3. Hobbies
4. Trips
5. Work, if needed, but leave it for later

That’s it!

Are there any you’d add?

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