REPORT #1686
"If you are hoping someone will walk up to you, you can hope the rest of
your life away. Why would they be any willing to do it anymore than you are?"
Debra Fine
Author of "The Fine Art of Small Talk"
MAKING CONVERSATION
SHINING STAR: Most people can carry on a conversation, but knowing how to make a personal connection and let your personality shine can be difficult for some. Welcome to the art of small talk -- a social skill that can help you make new friends, advance your career, or just allow you be the life of the party.
THE 'FINE' ART OF SMALL TALK: While small talk is usually associated with insincere language and phony smiles, conversationalist Debra Fine disagrees. "That's schmoozing," Fine was quoted as saying. "Schmoozing is fake." Fine says small talk can be a useful tool for surviving a party, meeting potential lovers or making a lasting impression in a job interview.
Fine got her start teaching conversational skills several years ago as an adult-education instructor in Colorado. Over the next two years, she established The Fine Art of Small Talk, a business dedicated to helping clients around the world perfect their interpersonal abilities. Fine has worked with large corporations like General Electric, Lockheed Martin, AT&T and the American Bar Association and has made appearances on The Today Show, The Early Show, NPR Morning Edition, Fox Business News and CNN.
STEPS TO SMALL TALK: To get a conversation rolling, experts recommend the following:
• Practice. Whenever possible, strike up a conversation with anyone and everyone -- from cashiers, neighbors and tourists to people in your doctor's waiting room.
• Read everything you get your hands on. Cookbooks, newspapers, magazines, maps, book reviews and more can be a good source of conversation starters.
• Talk to yourself in the mirror. Create a random list of topics and test what you have to say on them.
• Keep your ears open. Listen and remember what people tell you. Did your boss say she likes to eat sushi? Did your dentist say she was going on vacation next month?
SMART WOMAN CONTACT: |
Debra Fine
http://www.debrafine.com/
