For example: "Beautiful day, isn't it?" "Lovely. It takes at least 15 minutes talking about sports or beer until someone finally says, "OK, so the deal we are here to talk about". "The main difference I have noticed is that everyone will meet you for a coffee in Sydney and Melbourne even if they have no intention of doing business with you," says a British expat. I was very impressed with the way Australian businesses work with and for Asian companies. Without getting on a political soapbox I continue to be surprised at the short-termism of the Australian outlook. Starting the conversation with a positive attitude expressed through your tone of voice helps them feel more ready to engage with you. Can You Spot a Narcissist by Their Eyebrows? It's part of Australia's DNA and I see it reflected in our own business agile, diverse, innovative with speed to market as a key point of difference here and internationally. ), By asking more specific questions about their day, their morning, or their afternoon, the person can give you a more interesting response than Pretty good.. Its been well established by researchers such as Amy Edmondson that this is a critical driver that helps virtual (and hybrid workplace) team dynamics, innovation and high performance. Required fields are marked *. Make Small Talk an intentional item on your agenda at the start or end of a meeting. If this sounds like you, then you have an aversion to small talk. Think of small talk as a tool that negotiates and defines a relationship. This website uses cookies in order to understand how you use the site so you have the best experience. It contributes to employees positive emotions and sense of well-being, belonging and connection. For example, a manager may be persuaded of the wide range of advantages small talk will deliver to the team, but feel socially hesitant or uncertain. I'd say Australia as a whole has a better work-life balance. This information is collected anonymously and we cannot identify you personally from this information. You could eat lunch together once a week, as an example. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. I would rather kill myself than talk about My Kitchen Rules at work every day (This is an example of exaggeration also commonly used in Australia. It can be a way of synchronizing the level of intimacy felt by each of the partners in the conversation and a way of . This is coming partly from working smarter, but also from taking more time than 12 years ago out of family and social time. There are companies likeSpark Collaborationthathelp employers organize office video-chat roulettes that pair up employees who dont already know one another for real-time social interactions. Im starting my first job soon at Spec Savers and will be using your tips to try and help me as its all new to me. When it's done right small talk can help create a golden workplace culture where people feel safe, secure, and at home. That change requires action, it takes a risk-aptitude and a willingness to fail, something that we have to encourage and foster. Small caps Aura Energy, IperionX chasing equity. It's about being able to be your real, authentic self at work. At work i am struggling to come up with small conversations and now i feel more confident because of what you have provided. When someone asks you this question, start with, When I was in that situation, I decided to and then share a few more details about what you did. As a Brit, who has spent many years living in the US, workplaces to me were often places where people tried to avoid confrontation; skating around awkward conversations and hiding behind emails. Brief, informal "small talk" conversations are essential in many aspects of life, including the workplace. At the same time, it enables them to show their wisdom from their past experiences, so once again, you show that you value their work. Help using this website - Accessibility statement. This social lubricant enables team members ease into their serious conversations together where they often need to solve problems and make decisions under pressure. Leave a comment and let me know two questions that you think youll use with your coworkers and colleagues. Relationship Uncertainty. An Unexpected Key to the Most Successful Relationships, 5 Ways to Resist People Who Manipulate Nicely. I like to receive more!! I grew up in the UK and started working as a management consultant in Sydney 12 years ago. As we navigate endless Zoom meetings and new work/life challenges, lets not underestimate the value of small talk. Jokes at anyone's expense 7. I think this comes down to Australians' desire for balance in their life. I have Autism and am 22 years old. Lets be honest: sometimes work can be repetitive or mundane, so asking about what inspires them is a little more interesting. Fresh air strikes and shelling rock Khartoum as Sudan enters its - ABC Try this more detailed article where I give more examples of appropriate topics: https://englishwithkim.com/small-talk-better-questions-keep-conversation-going/ This one also talks about questions that are work-related: https://englishwithkim.com/office-small-talk-interesting-work-related-questions/ If you have any specific concerns about questions, let me know as Im in the process of updating this series and like to include questions from real-life situations. Whereas here it's a lot of "if I don't go now, my next ferry is an hour". Other things I noticed are: There aren't as many big corporates, so lots of other business people I meet are in small businesses or start-ups. Australia's time is now. The resultsrevealed that small talk was both uplifting and distracting. These brief, casual conversations are a great way to get to know new people, but they can be even more important in the workplace. The Australian Tourism PR campaign works wonders on us Brits we see sun, beaches and a vibrant city. Im going to try some of these tips.