So What Is Small Talk?
In simple terms, it’s basically any conversation that consists of simple exchanges. It could be on just about anything like sports, music, or even matters that don’t matter at all.
Usually, conversations were termed this way because it was considered to be quite irrelevant. Turns out that it’s small talk that act as the best ice-breakers and conversation starters. They could be questions like “are you looking forward to the weekend?” – something that one might ask on a Friday.
They can also be something like “what do you think of the new computers?” – a question that people usually ask after the IT department decides to present everyone with new devices since employees were found staring at screens because MS Word can’t take it anymore.
Why Is Small Talk Necessary?
As an introvert, you can probably remember when you had to talk to someone, but didn’t know how to initiate a conversation. That’s why you need to know the basics. But why do you need small talk anyway?
- There will be times you might want to ask someone for a favor. Or maybe there’s someone you really want to talk to but you don’t know what to say. Small talk gives you that window to think as you ask questions to get the ball rolling.
- You can also know whether someone’s interested in having further conversation. It’s a good way to test openness to engaging in conversation.
- It helps you build the foundation of a connection when you’re in a time crunch. You might have to catch the train and you’ve just met someone you think might be a potentially useful contact. Your ride’s almost here, you’re staring at each other but not really interested in a stare-off at the moment. You’d rather talk by doing what? Exactly. Small talk!
The Strengths An Introvert Has In Small Talk
Introverts have effective strengths that can really pay off when trying to have a conversation and take it somewhere. Here are a few strengths that an introvert usually has and how they can be leveraged to build valuable connections for future reference.
- Introverts are usually creative. This means that it’s fairly easy for an introvert to ask interesting questions that don’t appear to be too predictable. Even when someone is expressing something as trivial as how their day at work went, an introvert can have a question that might seem intriguing.
- Introverts are great listeners. Not only are introverts exceptional at listening while someone speaks, they’re very very active during that. Even when they’re not paying full attention, they can easily seem like they are. It’s just a gift that introverts have. Almost all of them. Learning to use it can get you engaged in an insightful conversation with minimal effort.
- Introverts are usually sensitive. This means that they don’t usually ask questions that are offensive or make someone feel very uncomfortable. They’re very well aware of boundaries and where to draw the line. This is a highly respectable trait that comes with just being born as an introvert.
It’s best to use these to your advantage if you’re an introvert. The more you focus on your strengths, the more they will grow and you will find that you’re getting better and better at small talk.