Small talk is easy in certain situations. I met a new colleague this week and we discovered that we share a common interest. There's something to talk about.....and we talked and talked! Nothing was earth-shattering about our conversation, but we began to build a relationship. When you run into treasured people from your past after months or years of separation, conversation flows as you remember times gone by and catch up on each other's lives.
The worst possible situation is making small talk with those people that really didn't leave a positive impression on you during previous interactions. The dialogue is only made worse when the other party thinks that you have more in common than you really do. Earlier this week I experienced one of those horribly awkward situations. I ran into an acquaintance who I was hoping would be satisfied with a simple hello. No....this person wanted to chat. Questions are asked and answered with little real sharing. Then there was the dreaded sound of the proverbial crickets chirping as I frantically waited for something to be said. Ugh! Finally, the individual ended the conversation with "Well, don't let me keep you." It wasn't my intention to be rude, but the conversation was over before it began.
For years, people have tried to make me feel guilty for not being a social butterfly. News alert, folks: I don't! There's a huge difference between unacceptable rudeness and the quiet introversion that makes me who I am. While I can make small talk with others in my profession, I choose not to do that in my personal life. If I don't have an authentic connection with a person, I'm not going to attempt to convince you that we do. I choose to leave the small talk for the office; I prefer real dialogue with my friends.
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