Dr. Cliff Redford

People who are better at small talk are better at all kinds of talk.

They're better at engaging you at any level.

Small talk is actually part of the fabric of our weak ties.

You use this term weak ties.

Your listeners might not know that that's actually a technical term in the social sciences, weak ties.

are people that you don't necessarily confess your sins to, but you do chat about the weird snowy weather with, and maybe with some regularity, maybe two or three times a week.

Maybe you don't even know their name.

But you chit chat.

You know, one of the grocery stores, I'm just going to admit this to you, one of the grocery stores I love to go to is not because of the groceries.

It's because the people in them are trained to make small talk.

It's Trader Joe's.

I love it.

I love it.

Oh, but they are.

They are.

And here's what you'll find out.

If you're in that coffee shop,

When the catastrophe happens down the road and the bomb explodes, they're going to leap to your aid if you need it.

Yeah.

Because they're not complete strangers.