Unlock your conversational potential with these proven techniques

4 Nov 2023 · 1 min

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TJ Walker gives practical advice for improving small talk by engaging strangers in low-stakes settings. He suggests, for example, when riding in an Uber or cab, ask the driver "What do you do when you're not driving?" He reports meeting drivers with diverse backgrounds (startup researchers, actors, singers, artists), says the exchange makes time pass faster and brightens the driver’s mood, and emphasizes the low stakes—no ongoing obligation or pressure—so you can simply enjoy talking to another person.

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What's one of the best ways of improving your small talk conversational abilities? The next time you get into an Uber or a cab, don't just automatically stare at your phone and ignore the driver. Instead, ask the driver, what do you do when you're not driving? You might be surprised at what you hear. I've met people driving cars who were doing research on startups, who were actors, who were singers, artists, people doing all sorts of things. It made the time go by faster for me and that person, and it put a smile on their face. The stakes are low. It's not like seeing someone at a party and talking and having to look at them for the next four hours. You're probably never going to see the driver again. There's no agenda, no pressure. Just enjoy talking to another human being. And again.