Episode
How to Excel at Small Talk, and Even Enjoy It
- Podcast
- Harvard Business Review
- Published
- Jun 3, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 789
- Processing state
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- https://traffic.megaphone.fm/VG1715724170.mp3?updated=1777216377
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Summary
How to Get Good at Small Talk, and Even Enjoy It 6 Oct 2023 --- Even if you don’t think you’re a natural (or you hate it), anyone can become proficient at this important art using the right tactics and behaviors. 00:00 “Small talk” is a misnomer for such an important part of communication. 01:07 Establish appropriate goals. 01:52 Give yourself permission to pause. 03:35 What if you feel like you have nothing smart to say? 04:24 What if I make a mistake or say something dumb? 05:09 What if my problem is that I have too much to say? 06:04 What tools can I use if none of this is natural to me? 07:53 How do I get the conversation started? 09:00 How do I end the conversation (gracefully)? According to Matt Abrahams, author of "Think Faster, Talk Smarter: How to Speak Successfully When You're Put on the Spot", key strategies include avoiding conventional responses in favor of establishing genuine connections, prioritizing brevity while delivering messages, and speaking authentically without the pressure to be perfect—which means daring to be dull. Fear or nervousness need not deter anyone from communicating effectively on the spot. Read more: https://hbr.org/2023/09/how-to-shine-when-youre-put-on-the-spot And there's more by Matt Abrahams on this topic in his new book: https://www.amazon.com/Think-Faster-Talk-Smarter-Successfully/dp/1668010305/ Follow us: https://hbr.org/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/harvard-business-review/ https://www.facebook.com/HBR/ https://twitter.com/HarvardBiz https://www.instagram.com/harvard_business_review Sign up for Newsletters: https://hbr.org/email-newsletters #HarvardBusinessReview #Communication #SmallTalk #CommunicationSkills #Career #YourCareer #Work #Business #Harvard Copyright © 2023 Harvard Business School Publishing. All rights res…