Small talking has been the central skill in many successful people, giving them the ability to network with those around them and to maximize their opportunities that pass by. This article explores this fundamental skill and how the many benefits that come from it can advance your career, your professional life and even your personal life.
You walk into a room that is full of people you do not know. Normally you would shy away from conversation, but you determined to give it a shot. It is in situations like this that small talk is an invaluable resource that can be used to eliminate the tension between you and someone you barely know. Small talk, when practiced, can offer an incredible source of confidence and boldness when approaching those you have little to no acquaintance. This provides an excellent stage in order to conduct professional networking. By making simple small talk, you are able to listen and understand the other person(s) interests and professional endeavors, while mentally connecting their interests with your own.
Interestingly enough, being fluent in small talk also means mastering your body language. It is quick ends to any conversation if you feel, even slightly, a little overwhelmed or shy by the situation. If you wish to label yourself as awkward in a hurry, walk up to someone while you are feeling unsure and lacking confidence in yourself. We may call it small talk, but this connection between you and those around you may be the very catalyst that will assist your career and/or social life in a big way. Remember, as best you can, try to remain calm and collected, remain cool and speak with a confident voice. Be the initiator and be sure to show the people you are talking to that you care about what they are saying.
In life, there will always be little things, such as small talk, that can be devices of great success for you. Having a lack of confidence is one of those things that can cause you to stumble in majestic ways, robbing you of the possible blessing in disguise. Even though a lack of confidence is something that can cause tension and awkwardness between you and a potential connect, it is always important to dive into the conversation. A part of defeating the lack of confidence is to dive into a conversation that you would not normally enter into. This shows that you have boldness and a direct personality, which may greatly help you when trying to network with business connections, or even a potential date.
Another simple method to defeat that awkward feeling you might have when trying to make small talk is knowledge. By filling your mind with current events and interesting new discoveries, even the current weather patterns, you will be able to bring up any topic that might be of interest in your potential connection. This is a very helpful tip, as it might be a huge catalyst for relationship and finding common ground with strangers. Imagine you walked over to a person you never before seen and, after considering the atmosphere and the current subject of the majority in the room, you bring up an interesting point on the overall subject, showing yourself off as being not only educated, but interesting to talk to. This is what can happen to those that spend a mere ten to twenty minutes a day diving into current events and keeping updated. As this is a powerful tool, your network of connections, be it in business or personal life, will begin to grow exponentially and, over time, you would have turned into one of those people that everyone knows.
Of course, whenever people think of small talk, they immediately think about talking. This is obvious, as many people wish to be the initiators in any conversation; however, one of the most powerful approaches in conducting small talk is not talking... its listening. Yes, listening is always better than talking in any situation. In fact, if we would listen more often than speaking what is on our minds, many arguments held between friends and loved ones may well be avoided, that is, as individuals, we would gather a perspective that we did not originally hold due to the listening of another's point of view. Imagine being a part of a conversation where the other person is doing the majority of the talking. This can be very annoying for you, because, even though the other person is asking you questions, you feel as if he is only listening to you in order to form his next response. This is what happens in conversations where both persons are unwilling to listen to each other. In small talk, listening can mean life or death, understanding or misunderstanding, moving from one topic to the next with ease. The ability to obtain the skill of small talk comes with the willingness to listen without a personal agenda.
With every good thing, an end must come. This is not a bad thing! Actually, it could be the very key that will lead those you are speaking to admire your knack for punctuality. Most often, small talk is simply that... small talk. There are also times when a longer conversation might emerge from the short introductions that take place. A true master at small talk would be able to distinguish between the open door for a longer conversation and the time to end the small talk and part ways. This, along with listening, might be one of the more valuable abilities to acquire. So there you go! You now know that small talk is not only a fun thing to engage in, but it is how most professionals receive their connections, sign their contracts, hire and promote within their organization, and many other networking benefits. In short, small talk is a long since proven method of networking, and all it takes is a leap of faith in you to do it. This incredible skill of connecting with strangers on a personal, professional level has been the corner stone to many success people throughout the years. Be confident, be courageous, be yourself and get to know the fellow man around you.