Cracking the Small Talk Code: Podcast
If you’re like many people, you may find small talk awkward or uncomfortable. I offer tips in the podcast on how to maximize small talk.
Mastering Work-Related Questions: How to Answer, “What do you do?”
Have you ever been at a party or a professional conference and had someone ask you, “So what do you do?” Did you stumble through the answer or give a quick boring answer? Did you wish you could sound clear and confident? Today, in the video below, and also in this post, I will give […]
Think Fast, Speak Smart! Free Online Workshop
Join me May 17, 2023 (1-2 PM Central Time) for an interactive, online workshop all about having fun while learning ways to improve your communication skills. Through warm-up activities to loosen your tongue, short improv-style games, prompts to create stories and work on transitions, and message clarity exercises, you can improve the following communication skills: […]
How to Politely Interrupt Someone
As seen in FastCompany Few people appreciate being interrupted. It can be viewed as rude, sending a signal that what they’re saying isn’t important. While talking over people when they are speaking should be avoided, sometimes it’s necessary, says Diane Windingland, owner of Virtual Speech Coach and author of Impromptu Speaking: 10 Strategies to Think on […]
Lessons Learned from a Jamaican Hustler
All we wanted to do was find some hearing aid batteries. We did that, but we had a bonus adventure, and I learned a few persuasion techniques from a savvy street hustler in Jamaica. Last month, one of the last ports on a cruise with my husband, Kim, was Ocho Rios, Jamaica. After a relaxing […]
Holiday Gatherings: Avoid Conversational Landmines
While acceptable small talk topics vary depending on culture, you generally want to avoid discussing the following topics with someone you don’t know well: Read on for some questions NOT to ask at holiday gatherings, contributed by Debra Fine, speaker, and author of The Fine Art of Small Talk. Holidays can mean the ideal family […]
Be a Fascinating Conversationalist: The Conversation Résumé
In-person gatherings are finally happening again! Have your social skills gotten a little rusty? Maybe your interview skills could use a boost. Or, maybe you are a bit of an introvert, and your idea of a conversation is asking the other person questions, so they do all the talking. Don’t make other people do all […]