SMALL TALK Is BIG!

 

Many times in life, SMALLNESS is being treated as such.  BUT unless you are an ardent believer of the BIG BANG Theory, I always embraced SMALL TALK UNLESS/EXCEPT if we end up with snoopers, kibitzers, meddlers.  Otherwise, many positive results and developments in life start off with SMALL TALK, regardless WHETHER it's during your airport layover, in-transit while commuting to work and so on📗📙📘

The old school of thought is that SMALL TALK is good for Sales folks.  From Day-1, I always disagreed with that because SMALL TALK is as relevant at home, at the workplace and practically anywhere anytime and sometimes, even for no purpose at all.  I remember in one of my domestic flights in Japan [that Tokyo-Hiroshima leg], I greeted the Japanese lady executive next to me with OHAYO GOZAIMASU and she greeted back, giving me her NTT business card✅✅✅

To cut a long story short, I managed to eke out a commercial 'talking point' between our Global Sales Enablement and NTT, all because of that SMALL TALK.  There you go.  I was never into Sales BUT I ended up creating a Sales opportunity even at that global scale.  Back to our daily lives, though, that SMALL TALK could start with couples/partners.  HOW often have we witnessed couples with very limited TALK at all, even a SMALL TALK at that?  Instead, either OR both partners will talk only for the MUST-DOs or MUST HAVEs LIKE, we got to pay this bill as it's due today OR we got to replenish our rice stock as there's nothing left OR DON'T forget to pay the school fees as it has to be settled before the upcoming quarterly exams.  Other than those 'TRANSACTIONAL' stuff, HOW often have we heard one partner asking his partner HOW is it traversing through the traffic gridlock OR those flash floods after the suddent torrential rains???

Frankly, HOW many relationships weakened, withered until it crumbled, all because there was nary a talk, NOT even SMALL TALKS to enliven those moments even during that early MORNING RUSH for breakfast?  There's a common excuse though.  That there is NO room for SMALL TALK because we were in a RUSH.  Seriously?  BUT dude, every morning is no different.  That constant RUSH has become part of its staple regardless if you're in the First World OR Third World.  Point is, let us reconsider the value we inject with SMALL TALK, instead of shrugging it off😂😂😂

Our takeaway:  Everything boils down to this:  COMMUNICATIONS.  I remember my boss way back my HSBC days.  His favorite one-liner was:  NO TIME? MAKE TIME!  Problem is, people from many walks of life all share this commonality, that is, using TIME as the constant excuse [frankly I'll call it ALIBI] that time is the constant constraint.  To hell no.  SMALL TALK IS BIG, dude❗❗❗