The Lost Art of ‘Small Talk’ Can Cure Our Broken Society
A primer on how to communicate with people you disagree with
I marched into his office, ready to demand my $12,500 back. A month earlier, I had shelled that small fortune for his coaching program. After months of practicing, studying, and role-playing, I had failed to land a single deal. So much for a class A coaching.
I wanted my damn money back.
My coach must have known what was coming. Upon walking into his office, he offered me jasmine green tea. My favorite. Had I mentioned that to him before? Still, I seethed.
"Tell me about your last sales call," he said as I sat in a chair across from his desk.
As I recounted the disaster, he pointed out the areas I performed well. Whenever my temper flared, he responded in a soft, empathetic tone. I could feel my anger dissipate. Then he pulled out the whiteboard and pointed out all my flaws, including detailed instructions on improving my performance. Before long, he had disarmed me.
From then on, we had a constructive conversation that turned into one of my most profound learning experiences. He demonstrated how to keep your cool when exchanges heat up and use small talk to control conversations. A week later, I finally closed my first…
