Small talk may be the most maligned category of conversation. For many, it's a time-waster with no redeeming qualities other than mindless chatter. Yet, when properly understood and applied, small ...

It's easy to say, "I'm not good at small talk" and simply try to ignore it, Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit argues that small talk isn't an innate skill, but rather a learned behavior.

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Dr. Cheryl Robinson covers areas of leadership, pivoting and careers. How do you prevent small talk during meetings so it doesn’t ...

The ability to engage in small talk is a superpower for succeeding in a job interview and advancing your career growth. The ability to engage in small talk is a superpower for succeeding in a job ...

“Hi, I’m Ella! Look at my teeth! They’re grown-up teeth. I have a baby sister, and her name is Zoe. We come to this playground sometimes when we’re visiting my grandma in Florida. It’s my favorite ...

Think about what it's like to be at a birthday dinner where you have to interact with your friend's neighbors for the first time, or what it's like to be waiting for a Zoom to begin with coworkers you ...

Haupt is a health and wellness editor at TIME. Haupt is a health and wellness editor at TIME. When Gillian Sandstrom was a graduate student in Toronto more than a decade ago, she encountered a ...

An image of a person talking next to an image of a “winter weather ahead” sign | Person: Goodboy Picture Company/Getty Images. Sign: JamesBrey/Getty Images You might be waiting for a bus or waiting ...

Learning how to get better at small talk might not seem like much of a conversational superpower. Arguably everyone’s least favorite part of socializing, surface-level chitchat can be awkward, ...