How to Turn Small ____ Into Smart
Conversation
Imagine almost any situation _____ two or more people ___ gathered—a wedding reception or _ job interview. What do _____ situations have in common? ______ all of them involve ______ trying to talk with ____ other. But in these ____ moments where a conversation _____ enhance an encounter, we _____ fall short.
When small talk stalls ___, it’s often due to _ phenomenon we call “mirroring.” __ our attempts to be ______, we often answer people’s _________ directly, repeat their observations, __ just blandly agree with ________ they say. Such an ________ can kill your conversation __ the beginning. When you “_____ the mirror”, you give ____ interlocutor a chance to ____ forward in your small ____.
People also tend to __ a passable job at _______. We stagger through our ________, professional and social worlds ____ the goal merely of ___ crashing, never considering that __ might soar. We go ____ sweaty and puffy without _________ that small talks are ____ to opening greater conversations. __ this post, we would ____ to show you how ___ can change this. For _______, you can ask open-ended _________. Aim for questions that ______ people to tell stories, ______ than give bland, one-word _______.
If you mirror the _______ and language of your ____________, you follow the common ______ norm, but you also ________ the discussion and miss _ moment of fun. Instead, __ recommend you to practice ___ art of disruption and ____ the dialogue forward using ___ of the methods described __ this article.
An even better way __ break the boring conversation ______ is to skip over ___ expected response and go _________ next-level. Even if your ______ won’t concern the topic __ the initial question, it ____ push the conversation forward. ___’_ be afraid to go _____ and be bold. Upend ___ dinner table conversation! Turn _____ talk into big ideas __ the next summer wedding _________ you’re forced to attend! ___ never know which ideas ____ be worth spreading next ___ maybe breaking the ice __ a small talk will ___ in amazing conversation.
Catherine Payne
Thank you for such __ amazing and informative article! __’_ useful to know how __ continue small talk and __________ make it into a _____ conversation.
Ronald Chen
Catherine PayneThank you for your _______! I will publish more ____ on social communication as ____ as some useful negotiation ______ so stay tuned!
Philip Bowman
Your tips helped me ______ my attitude to small ____, and I’m not avoiding ____ anymore. I hope to ___ more of such posts ____ in the future.