Small Talk: Getting to Know You … Maybe

It’s surprising to discover how many people consider “small talk” irrelevant to networking. I couldn’t disagree more. When I think back on all my first-time encounters, not one of them would have been initiated without the use of small talk. The bottom line is there's nothing small about it.

I won't spend a lot of time discussing the subject here; instead I'll refer you to some books that handle the subject brilliantly. They were written by my good friend and ETP Network member Don Gabor:

• Turn Small Talk Into Big Deals (copyright © 2009 by McGraw-Hill)

• How To Start A Conversation And Make Friends (copyright © 2001 by Fireside)

• Talking With Confidence for the Painfully Shy (copyright © 1997 by Three Rivers Press)

Don understands the value of small talk and he is a master at it. Although that may not sound like a spectacular achievement on its own, the art of small talk determines how well you will form connections — and the relationships that result from them!

Best wishes and own your career,

Rod Colon