Diane Weston. Small Talk: How to Start a Conversation, Truly Connect with Others and Make a Killer First Impression. 2019. See here to buy the book.
Diane Weston is a PR specialist at a Fortune 500 company. She is an introvert, sharing tips she has learned about how introverts can shed their shy exteriors and succeed in an extroverted world. She has studied the topic of communications, both informally and also formally.
As the title indicates, this book is about how to do small talk. Weston addresses such issues as the importance of body language and eye contact in making a positive impression, ways to ameliorate anxiety about social situations, the sorts of topics to talk about, and ways to politely exit a conversation. Weston also includes sample conversations.
The book was stressful to read because there is so much to keep track of in social situations. You have to come up with things to say, while listening to others speak. And, all this time, you need to look authentic rather than contrived. Weston tries to make following her suggestions easier through acronyms, and those acronyms probably reflect truths about what attracts people and what turns them off. But, by themselves, I doubt that they impart the sort of social ability that Weston talks about. One may want to supplement her work with materials from Dale Carnegie and Deb Fine.
Weston makes a good point when she states that one should start talking about one’s surroundings—-a shared experience—-before moving on to more personal topics. That may explain why I have gotten strange looks in the course of my life! A problem or question that I have with this advice is that you do not want to talk about your surroundings in a way that offends someone who may overhear. You have to be careful about what you say about somebody’s dish, or presentation, lest that somebody or somebody’s friend overhears you and gets offended. Greater sensitivity to this issue would have enhanced the book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. My review is honest.
Diane Weston is a PR specialist at a Fortune 500 company. She is an introvert, sharing tips she has learned about how introverts can shed their shy exteriors and succeed in an extroverted world. She has studied the topic of communications, both informally and also formally.
As the title indicates, this book is about how to do small talk. Weston addresses such issues as the importance of body language and eye contact in making a positive impression, ways to ameliorate anxiety about social situations, the sorts of topics to talk about, and ways to politely exit a conversation. Weston also includes sample conversations.
The book was stressful to read because there is so much to keep track of in social situations. You have to come up with things to say, while listening to others speak. And, all this time, you need to look authentic rather than contrived. Weston tries to make following her suggestions easier through acronyms, and those acronyms probably reflect truths about what attracts people and what turns them off. But, by themselves, I doubt that they impart the sort of social ability that Weston talks about. One may want to supplement her work with materials from Dale Carnegie and Deb Fine.
Weston makes a good point when she states that one should start talking about one’s surroundings—-a shared experience—-before moving on to more personal topics. That may explain why I have gotten strange looks in the course of my life! A problem or question that I have with this advice is that you do not want to talk about your surroundings in a way that offends someone who may overhear. You have to be careful about what you say about somebody’s dish, or presentation, lest that somebody or somebody’s friend overhears you and gets offended. Greater sensitivity to this issue would have enhanced the book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. My review is honest.