These "reductive" questions can instantly make a conversation feel heavy, etiquette expert Alison Cheperdak says.

You’re standing in line at the supermarket or drugstore when a stranger speaks up. “Hello, how are you?” the stranger greets you. “Good, and you?” might be your response. Your conversation partner ...

Small talk has its uses, especially in the business world. It can help us suss each other out, establish a basic level of trust, or just fill the time while we’re waiting in line. But let’s be honest, ...

"Skip the Small Talk" events offer speed-friending to the shy and the bold. A room filled with people talking and sharing their thoughts can be either an extrovert's dream or an introvert's nightmare.

You walk into the conference networking event, feeling alone, aware of the steady chatter throughout the room. You look to find someone you might know, you sense your breath growing faster and you ...

Nick Enfield does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their ...

For some people, having to make small talk is a uniquely horrifying mode of torment. If this is true for you, it’s likely that you can recall in grim detail your last attempts to find a way to make ...

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