Small Talk

64 . the fine art of small talk
and get out. The very fact that I require the services of
FedEx is free information that I’m in a hurry. I’ve got a
pressing delivery. However, as I watched the clerk complete
the forms, I was struck by the beautiful handwriting
of this left-handed woman. I complimented her with
a statement—not a question. Unfortunately, she responded
as though it were an inquiry. I got the whole
story of how she used to be a teacher and had purposefully
perfected her handwriting ...she moved to Arizona...got
divorced ...remarried and moved to
Colorado. I could not get her to understand that I was in
a hurry. She was still talking as I backed out of the door!
That is what I call an unintended icebreaker. It goes to
show you that the slightest interest in someone is often
all it takes to get a conversation going. Even the onesided
kind!
FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT
Now that you are becoming small talk savvy, practice
the fundamentals. Can you recall five surefire questions
to use in a business setting? Can you name half a
dozen sources of free information? Scout your current lo-