Some people think small talk is a waste of time.
I disagree.
In fact, we need more of it.
Anybody can do it. At any time. It crosses boundaries of race and age and class. My late husband, Jerry, used to wait by the curb on Monday mornings just to talk Redskins with our trash collector.
You can do it anywhere. In a supermarket, restaurant or beauty shop. Across the fence with your neighbor.
And small talk offers big benefits for a very small investment.
- Small talk enhances the common pool of human kindness.
When my friend, Jim, visits his cousin in a nursing home, he always stops to speak to the other residents as well. [Read more…]