From Awkward To Awesome: Turning Small Talk Into Meaningful Conversation
Navigating social interactions can feel daunting for those of us who dread small talk. Networking events, in particular, can leave us at loss for words and struggling to find common ground. This simple yet powerful question elevates chit-chat and gets to the core of a person’s interests and expertise: “What’s a hobby you enjoy?”
Knowing what someone is interested in, and is likely to know deeply about, allows us to do two things:
- INFLUENCE THEM by customizing examples that resonate deeply with their expertise.
- INFLUENCE OURSELVES by asking how they would look at our challenge through the lens of their expertise.
Whatever the response, we will each walk away with deeper insights because of each other. And instead of feeling awkward (what do I say to you?), we will both feel awesome (nice to meet you!).
ABOUT PREDICTLY
predictly is a platform to share real-life stories and practical insights that develop your predictive intuition.
Each predictly post explores the gaps between what we intend to do and actually do, using behavioral models to anticipate common misunderstandings in human behavior and respond early.