适合做书腰的话:The ability to talk easily with anyone is a learned skill, not a personality trait. Everything would go a thousand times better if I engaged them in small talk.
纲领一:承担。承担打扰对方、话题不当的风险,承担想话题的劳累。
纲领二:诱导。激发对方的表达欲,让对方当主角。提的问题要有发挥空间(反面教材是How was your weekend,这种与hello同义的句子,是无法激发表达欲的),也不要太逼人。一个话题上对方没啥词,就再换一个,直到一个对方很有话聊、很expert、能feel special的话题。
纲领三:Greet people that you see regularly.
small talk是正经事的前后缀。不管是内部会议,还是双方洽谈。
其实早就从室友身上学到了一个道理,好关系都是聊出来的。不过知易行难。
在small talk这个领域,理发师是个值得观察的职业。
总结而言,都是为情付款。例子一,品牌信赖。例子二,刚刚提到的理发师。例子三,爸妈买菜。
作者认为,说话不失礼,不说话才失礼。不说话可以是害羞,也可以是傲慢,可能会引起误会。有的人会觉得不说话很装。等待对方先说话,其实是一种自我中心。即使不得不这么做,也应当尽可能多回答一些,出于礼貌。
以下是一些话题,大概聊四个。
商务领域,我从20个里挑了10个我个人比较喜欢的:
2. How did you come up with this idea?
3. What got you started in this industry/area of practice?
4. What got you interested in marketing/research/teaching?
5. What do you enjoy most about your profession?
9. What do you see as the coming trends in your business?
10. What ways have you found to be most effective for promoting your business?
12. What advice would you give someone just starting in your business?
14. What significant changes have you seen take place in your business since your start?
19. Do you know someone who can help me ______?
20. Describe how the economy/election/summer impacts your work.
休闲领域,我也刚好从40个里选了十几个自己喜欢的。这里面不少问题让我想起了小学同学录。
3. What’s your favorite thing to do on a rainy day?
4. If you could replay any moment in your life, what would it be?
7. What was it like in the town where you grew up?
What would you like to come back as in your next life?(投胎想做啥)
Of all the places you’ve lived, which one you like the best?
18. Describe a memorable teacher you had.
19. Tell me about a movie/book you’ve seen or read more than once.
Tell me about some of your New Year’s resolutions.
Describe your first away-from-home living quarters or experience.
Tell me something most people would never guess about you.
Tell me about your family.
What was the best part of your weekend?
作者是真狠啊:Walk through the mall and just say hello to ten people as you pass them. As you cut through the parking lot into the grocery store, greet three other shoppers. Keep practicing until it feels natural.
初次见面best practice:hi, my name is xxx, what's your name? nice to meet you, xxx.
Excuse me, I’m not sure I got your name. 相比谈话的内容,形式会更重要一些。注意力应当倾斜给对方的名字、对方有特点的信息等,而不是谈话的内容、自己的回答。I’m so sorry. I’ve forgotten your name. Please remind me.
do not shorten a name to a nickname without permission. 不过对中国人来讲应该没这个问题。
有个原则,就是能喊名字就喊名字,抓住各种机会喊名字。对于不怎么常遇到的人,每次都重新介绍一遍自己,不妨事。
要像主人一样,向客人去发起话题。每当来到一个有人的地方,就去找落单的人,然后a上去。
We’ve been working together for months now. I’d like to get to know you better. Tell me about some of your outside interests.
夸任意一个东西(未必是与对方相关,比如夸饭菜;也可以和对方相关,比如到了对方家里夸家里整洁),然后把话题引向对面(比如你怎么评价what do you think of,你最喜欢的相关事物)。
之前饭桌上,wangshiwei曾经调侃说,聊到最后大家都是老乡。这只是一个缩影。两个不认识的人,可能会有一些意想不到的交集。所以icebreak的难度没那么大。
如果A、B正在说话,你需要找A,那么可以询问B能否允许你来谈。
Really? I never knew that. Tell me more about that.
注意眼神交流,可以盯着眉毛。目前我的习惯是侧耳倾听、关注内容,然后回避眼神交流。另外可以补一些点头。作者说的很对,在你回答之前,别人其实无从得知你有没有在听,听见了多少。万一没啥好词可回复,那就更洗不清了。抖腿、揣手、遮嘴,是我常犯的三忌。摆出自然放松的姿势,不要乱动。
哎,所谓家教,大抵也有道理。见人打招呼,说话看眼睛,不要驼背抖腿挖鼻孔。小时候没改正的,早晚还是得改。
切忌出于礼貌一言不发来避免打断,基本的附和对我这种倾听型尤其重要:
I see.
what happened next?
That must have been tough/xxx.
That reminds me of xxx.
话题选择上,尽量避免聊misfortune、health、gossip、price。如果需要犹豫说不说,建议别说。能正能量还是正能量,比如vacation plan。所有话题可以分为工作、家庭、娱乐。
夸夸除了开局,也可以做平时话题。我觉得可以粗略分为物质和精神。物质如毛衣、领带,夸的时候最好有点理由;再如家中装饰,车,笔,杯。精神更适合高材生,夸坚持、勇敢、周到、乐观等。
还提到了中国人容易犯的一个错误,就是说话timid,喜欢说些削弱词,比如“应该”“我感觉”“有点”“尽量”这种。发表意见:From my experience, xxx。说I can, I will,you can,而不要用否定式。纲领上,说话要简洁直接,加个what do you think/what's your opinion补礼貌。
作者调侃了几种毒瘤,一,FBI式的盘问式聊天,每个回合太短。应对之策是反问类似的问题,但努力延长多问几个。二,吹牛。应对之策是聊时事。三,急于把话题揽到自己身上。四,拆台,'Been there, done that.' 这事儿我自己干过,会非常扫兴,导致一个话题早夭。五,过度亢奋说个不停,有时候内向的人会忽然发病,如果戳到点上的话。六,不想说话,典型例子是“没啥”“就那样”。七,懂哥,只教人做事,从不给人情绪价值。
离开谈话时,可以回顾一下双方为什么相遇,称赞一下对方的见解。最好讲清楚离开的真实原因。如果是要去结交下一个人,可以让对方推荐,这样不仅能体面结束,也能体面开始下一个。镜像做法是为对方推荐一个新的谈话对象。最后像开始时一样握手。如果需要,Will I see you at the next meeting?
对于单身人士,作者建议social的时候忘记这件事。
优先聊场景问题(如How did you hear about this event/What is your connection to the host/hostess),然后才聊personal information。
发起爱情约会的时候,直接点明时间地点。开始时最好不要看电影,看电影互动较少。
自嘲能带来安全感,也能变幽默。