Most small talk feels like a polite game of ping-pong, say social psychologists Erica Boothby and Maya Rossignac-Milon. What ...

Real connection starts with simple, sincere words. Use these 10 openers to make strangers feel seen—and glad they met you.

Veronique Barrot, founder of the Linked and Lift, says it starts with emotionally intelligent habits that help you listen, ...

In addition to asking open-ended questions and avoiding boomerasking, the right way to small talk is to reframe it. Stop thinking of it as small talk and start imagining it as big talk. Big talk is ...

Asking thoughtful questions can help your relationships move beyond the place where you're just chatting about the weather.

While small talk sometimes gets a bad rap, people who genuinely enjoy it know it serves a much deeper purpose than just filling awkward silences. Whether it’s chatting with a stranger at the coffee ...

What if you aren’t good at remembering things? Lee has an excellent suggestion. “After a meeting or casual chat, jot down one detail you learned about the other person.” You can use a note pad, the ...

I had been waiting all week to talk to a coworker about something urgent, so when we finally planned to meet at the coffee shop, I was relieved. I walked in, eager to share, but before I could tell ...

“Wow,” I thought. “Did he just make small talk with me?” ...

We’ve all been there. Whether it’s checking out at a store or trying to lull the awkwardness when meeting someone new, small talk has been used by all of us. For some people, having these little ...

Conversations, whether at holiday parties or other times of the year, don’t have to be awkward. (Getty Images) Between holiday dinners with relatives you haven’t heard from all year, office parties ...

The conversations that happen when you gather a group of business leaders often reveal truths about the challenges and opportunities we face right now. At a series of recent CEO breakfasts along New ...