Eight Ways to Master the Art of Small Talk

There are some social rituals that we cannot avoid, especially when interacting with people we don’t know, and nothing is more universally disliked than the ritual of small talk. Small talk is a fine art that balances the use of some better questions to open the conversation and then navigate the talk without lingering on obligatory foundational topics about how one’s weekend was or discussing the weather. If you find yourself avoiding social interactions due to being uncomfortable and embarrassed about small talk, here are eight ways to get better at it and not make it awkward or superficial (Duhigg, 2024; Haupt, 2023; Lee, 2025).

1. Ask better questions

2. Improve your replies

3. Ask better follow-up questions

4. Take cues from your surroundings

5. Move beyond the foundational topics (e.g., the weather talk)

6. Choose your compliments wisely

7. Skip specific topics such as religion and politics

8. Know how to end the conversation gracefully

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