We’ve all been there, standing at a boring office party or a backyard BBQ, trying to fill that awkward silence. You reach for ...

If you find yourself avoiding small talk because it drains your energy, you're not alone. People are increasingly ...

When I was a clueless teenager, I cringed when my father asked what seemed like obvious questions. I realized only much later ...

Social butterflies may thrive at small talk, but many of us dread it. After all, there's only so much talking about the weather or traffic that a person can tolerate. Still, small talk is present at ...

It's easy to say, "I'm not good at small talk" and simply try to ignore it, Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit argues that small talk isn't an innate skill, but rather a learned behavior.

You walk into the conference networking event, feeling alone, aware of the steady chatter throughout the room. You look to find someone you might know, you sense your breath growing faster and you ...

Small talk often gets a bad rap. It can feel awkward, superficial and pointless at times — if you're doing it wrong. But it's one of the most powerful tools in your arsenal to build relationships, ...

For many people, small talk is not their favorite activity, but everyone engages in it at some point. When meeting new people, small talk is used as an icebreaker for conversation. It’s an interaction ...

Some professionals shudder at the idea of “small talk,” but it can be a powerful tool for building rapport with people you’re meeting for the first time—and for opening doors at networking events. A ...

Dear Eric: Many companies are training their employees to “be friendlier.” Now, when I go to pay for my groceries or have bloodwork done at a lab, someone invariably asks me, “so what are you doing ...

Small talk often gets a bad rap. It can feel awkward, superficial and pointless at times — if you're doing it wrong. But it's one of the most powerful tools in your arsenal to build relationships, ...