Small Talk

the graceful exit . 147
even when it’s just the two of you talking. You introduce
your conversational party to someone who can render assistance
to him. This transition is easily made with statements
like these:
Ask Them to Join You
• I’d like to introduce you to an associate of mine
who’s in your field. Let’s see if she’s around.
• Matt is a great guy with an interesting history. I’d
like to introduce you two.
• Let’s go meet the speaker.
• I see my friend Jennifer is here. Let’s go say hi.
• Let’s circulate. I promised myself I’d meet some
new people.
• Let’s go get some dinner.
Issuing an invitation for your partner to join you on
your way to another destination is a very gracious and
considerate way to exit. You are still focused on your own
agenda, but you haven’t left your associate high and dry.
Reverse the situation and think about the other person
inviting you to join her. It’s a perfect opportunity to get