Banal, tedious, annoying... Have you used any of these words to describe small talk? You are not alone. Chatting with someone you don’t know well can be difficult. but it can also be rewarding in many ways.
By its very name, small talk does not cover earthshaking issues. Discussing a favorite food, or your plans for the weekend, or your kid's birthday won't affect the weather or the economy or the prospects of your favorite local sports team.
No one who has met me would believe that I'm shy, but I am! I've just gotten very good at working around it. Of course, it helps that when I get nervous, I chatter. In the decades since I finally learned how to talk, I have managed to turn my nervous chatter into opportunities for connections.
With a little bit of thought, you can turn nervous chatter into productive small talk. As long as you ask a question to which you really want an answer, there's a pretty good chance that the person you're meeting will see it as a friendly overture. In my case, I default to asking people if they have a dog or any other pets. And I always, always ask for a picture of any pets they do have. Of course, an unfortunate side effect of this habit is that I know more pets’ names than people's.
Another almost fail-proof starter question is asking someone about a shirt, or pin, or bag they're carrying. Whether it's a band T-shirt or a Disney handbag, you will learn something about the other person and maybe learn something that you have in common.
Once you've asked that initial question, you might be surprised at how often you see that person in your shared space. That gives you the chance to build the connection with follow-up questions or sharing your own stories.
Even in a so-called gig economy, people need other people to connect with. Work friends are just as important as friends outside of work. In addition, work friends can offer viewpoints that are dramatically different from non-work friends. My work friends come from an amazing breadth of age groups, skin color, interests, religions, gender, and profession, but all of them have enriched my life.
Working at Bounce gives me many opportunities to meet and chat with new folks. From new co-working clients checking in at the front desk to building tenants I meet for the first time in the elevator, every day at Bounce gives me a chance to meet someone new. Our clients have the same opportunities to meet and mingle. Clients can meet standing in line at the coffee lab to pick up a treat from one of the amazing baristas, waiting in the elevator lobby, standing in line at a food truck, or attending a workshop or mixer.
Whether you're an introvert or an extrovert, Bounce gives you many chances to reach out. Please take those opportunities. And if a gray-haired woman wearing a Bounce lanyard asks you about your pets, please show me lots of pictures!
