2016.10.25
It's possible to make small talk less painful and to work for you.
As an introvert, I’m not predisposed to making small talk. There are a finite number of words to express or interactions to have in a given day before I need recovery time. Perhaps that’s why for so many years I’d answer “How are you?” with “Busy.” It doesn’t exactly invite follow up discussion and I don’t have to share anything about myself.
But (appropriate) self-disclosure is a key professional competency for everyone to develop, especially those in leadership. There are numerous articles about its importance in the workplace; it’s an integral part of interpersonal communication and helps to build trust.
There’s of course lots more that can be a part of skilled self-disclosure but you’ll be surprised at how much you can get out of starting with this simple technique.
I decided I would casually wade into the self-disclosure waters within a ubiquitous exchange that I hated having. For me, worse than having to engage in small talk is having to engage in meaningless small talk. This kind:
Hi. How are you?
Fine. How are you?
Things are okay. Have a good day.
You, too.
Ugh. What a waste of time and words. But what a perfect opportunity to self-disclose in a way that wasn’t too scary.
Innately, we wish to relate to others (yes, even introverts). By sharing an authentic tidbit about our lives we make it easier for the other person to know how to relate to us.
Here’s what I do — offer one tidbit of personal/professional information when responding to the “how are you” question. Like this:
After giving my response I’d of course reciprocate with “and how are you?” At that point the person might choose to continue the conversation and add a comment related to what I shared or they may simply respond to the question and go on with their day. More often than not though, people pick up the conversation ball.
You don’t need to be overly personal in what you share. In each of the examples above, I’m revealing a benign but true piece of information about myself and providing an easy doorway for the other person to walk through into a conversation.
Information shared: