Small Talk

take the plunge: start a conversation! . 29
“I totally agree with you about the power of small
talk. It is not about an agenda but is simply a way to acknowledge
a person as being very real and there. In the
end, I suspect my patients talked to me more than they
had a chance to talk to all of their doctors and nurses put
together. It was an interesting job.”
You can start the conversation—yes, you! It’s not
nearly as hard as you think. And the best part is that it
puts you in charge of your own destiny. Instead of waiting
for someone—anyone—to talk to you, you choose
your conversation partner. What a concept: You get to
select someone. You might even enjoy it!
The rules are simple. When someone gives you a
smile, you are naturally inclined to smile back. Be the
first to smile and greet another person. That’s pretty easy.
Just a smile and a few words, and it’s done. Be sure that
you make eye contact. That simple act is the beginning
of establishing rapport. In those few seconds you have
shown an interest in the other person. However, if the
thought of this makes you want to jump into bed and
pull the covers over your head, practice flashing your
pearly whites in a setting that requires nothing more.
Walk through the mall and just say hello to ten people as
you pass them. As you cut through the parking lot into