Workshop: Coffee Break Conversations: Essential Tools for Small Talk Success

Goals

• Build a personalised toolkit of phrases and topics for small talk
• Gain confidence and ease in starting conversations with colleagues
• Enhance your active listening skills to make small talk more engaging

Content

Small talk can feel challenging – especially in a second language – but it’s still a skill worth practicing! Everyday chit-chat around the coffee machine with colleagues serves important social functions – such as building trust, creating a welcoming atmosphere, and strengthening connections through sharing stories and plans. Not only that, but small talk is of course also useful in other situations, such as when attending a conference, a workshop, or a meeting. In this workshop, we will discuss:

• Taking the first step: introducing yourself to new colleagues
• Initiating conversations: topics and strategies
• Expressing yourself: sounding polite, interested and articulate
• Navigating tricky moments: getting out of awkward situations

Methods

• Group discussions to share strategies for overcoming small talk hurdles
• Input on which phrases and topics are suitable for small talk
• Role-playing exercises to practice real-life scenarios where small talk may come in useful
• Short, timed conversations to practice starting, maintaining, and closing small talk

• Build a personalised toolkit of phrases and topics for small talk
• Gain confidence and ease in starting conversations with colleagues
• Enhance your active listening skills to make small talk more engaging