Anyone missing their water cooler chats with colleagues? In today's work landscape where so many of us are working from home, small talk has all but vanished from our daily routines. Even though most of our face-to-face time with colleagues is over video conferencing, we can still incorporate banter in these virtual meetings, and doing so has tangible benefits. Making small talk when we’re not physically in the same room can be quite challenging. There are endless things to talk about, so follow these simple steps to bring back the small talk:
- Small talk should be part of your meeting agenda.
- Beginning meetings with an icebreaker or check-in can ignite conversations.
- Introduce agenda items designed around opinions and conjecture.
- By including unstructured time at the end of meetings, you open the door for colleagues to continue chatting.
- Ask everyone to add an emoji next to their name and to reveal why they have chosen that particular emoji.
- Be creative with your natural background as this can be a great way to start small talk.
The above leadership tip...
was sent in response to a question from a participant on our acclaimed 10/10 leadership development and mentoring programme. Whether you're a first time manager or an experienced leader, straightforward, practical advice on best practice is hard to find. Until now. To find out how you, your team or your organisation can benefit, please join us on our next complimentary webinar or contact us.
How to thrive in these unprecedented times...
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