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This 1 Magical Conversation Starter Works in Every Situation
For me, there are few things more torturous in life than small talk. I don’t care about your sports team. I have nothing interesting to say about the weather, and for the love of all that’s holy, don’t make me talk about the comparative merits of various afternoon activities at one more kid birthday party.
So what can I — and all my fellow small talk haters — do to escape vapid chitchat? Over the years, I’ve used my position as a writer to investigate this question, coming up with scientific studies that both validate my dislike of small talk (more substantive conversations make people happier) and contradict my opinion (small talk, apparently, is important for social bonding).
I’ve dug up tricks for more interesting small talk, tips to be a better conversationalist, and out-of-the box icebreaker questions (so many questions) to get good conversations going. But perhaps, after all this research, I’ve missed the best and simplest solution. Recently on blog Cup of Jo I came across a great small talk-busting question that is effective, versatile, and all of four words long.
One icebreaker question to rule them all
The post kicks off with a hilarious story about one of writer Joanna Goddard’s worst personal small talk fails (it involves a…
