Creating conversations is how we create relationships, so where would our conversations at work, networking events, or elsewhere be without small talk? Would we have found our best friend, special ...

Small talk may be the most maligned category of conversation. For many, it's a time-waster with no redeeming qualities other than mindless chatter. Yet, when properly understood and applied, small ...

Small talk has been a pain point for me for years, but it sank to new lows at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. I was at the playground one day, sweating in a K-95 while pushing my maskless ...

There’s a big difference between someone who’s antisocial and someone who just doesn’t enjoy small talk. While some people thrive on quick chats about the weather or weekend plans, others feel their ...

“Hi, I’m Ella! Look at my teeth! They’re grown-up teeth. I have a baby sister, and her name is Zoe. We come to this playground sometimes when we’re visiting my grandma in Florida. It’s my favorite ...

When Gillian Sandstrom was a graduate student in Toronto more than a decade ago, she encountered a stranger on the subway who was carrying a scrumptious-looking cupcake. Sandstrom had long considered ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Dr. Cheryl Robinson covers areas of leadership, pivoting and careers. How do you prevent small talk during meetings so it doesn’t ...

Think about what it's like to be at a birthday dinner where you have to interact with your friend's neighbors for the first time, or what it's like to be waiting for a Zoom to begin with coworkers you ...

Learning how to get better at small talk might not seem like much of a conversational superpower. Arguably everyone’s least favorite part of socializing, surface-level chitchat can be awkward, ...