Originally found at Better Up.

Small talk is a part of everyday life, whether it’s with a new colleague or someone you meet in the supermarket. However, to make your small talk more effective, you need to understand why it’s important, what kinds of questions to ask, and which topics to avoid.

What is small talk?

Small talk is a polite, casual conversation that serves no functional purpose except for starting a dialogue. It helps you quickly find common ground with people you don’t know well. The topics of conversation often have little importance and are not controversial.

...The value of small talk

According to an article published in the Academy of Management Journal, small talk makes up about one-third of an adult’s speech. While it may seem unimportant, small talk can provide major benefits by helping you with the following:

• Improve your social skills
• Provide a sense of belonging and subjective well-being
• Kick-start valued relationships
• Spark effective collaboration
• Practice active listening
• Make people like you

Continue reading the original article at Better Up.

Read the original research in Academy of Management Journal.

Read the Academy of Management Insights summary.

• Jessica R. Methot, Rutgers University and University of Exeter
• Emily H. Rosado-Solomon, California State University Long Beach
• Patrick E. Downes, University of Kansas
• Allison S. Gabriel, University of Arizona