The case for talking to your neighbor about the weather.

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 doesn't have to be awkward. Here are five research-backed strategies to turn brief conversations into real ...

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 ...

The ability to engage in small talk is a superpower for succeeding in a job interview and advancing your career growth. The ability to engage in small talk is a superpower for succeeding in a job ...

Many people noticed that their social skills got a little rusty during the pandemic. My latest book discusses the psychology of mirrors and reflections. Research explains why being reflected by others ...

Small talk with coworkers in the break room and pleasantries exchanged with office staff are more meaningful than you might think, according to an Academy of Management Journal article. Contrary to ...

Small talk is the bread and butter of social interaction. Without it, we would not be making friends, building trust in new acquaintances, easing into deeper conversations or navigating unfamiliar ...

Do you dread trading niceties with retail clerks and assorted other strangers when you are out in public? Do you go out of your way to avoid neighbors and co-workers so that you do not have to engage ...

Small talk is a fact of life. And while some people are naturals, the rest of us struggle to know what to say during casual chit-chat. Those awkward silences grow painful, and leave you feeling like a ...

Let’s be honest: The hybrid office is a disorienting experience. After feeling pressure from management to return, many white-collar workers who went remote during the pandemic are starting to pop ...

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 ...