You’re standing in line at the supermarket or drugstore when a stranger speaks up. “Hello, how are you?” the stranger greets you. “Good, and you?” might be your response. Your conversation partner ...

Conversations, whether at holiday parties or other times of the year, don’t have to be awkward. (Getty Images) Between holiday dinners with relatives you haven’t heard from all year, office parties ...

Think about what it's like to be at a birthday dinner where you have to interact with your friend's neighbors for the first time, or what it's like to be waiting for a Zoom to begin with coworkers you ...

An evening out on the town with my closest friends — I love the promise of a night out. Maybe I’ll meet someone or learn something that could alter the trajectory of my life. And what a promise that ...

You’re standing in line at the supermarket or drugstore when a stranger speaks up. “Hello, how are you?” the stranger greets you. “Good, and you?” might be your response.

Small talk has its uses, especially in the business world. It can help us suss each other out, establish a basic level of trust, or just fill the time while we’re waiting in line. But let’s be honest, ...

Nick Enfield does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their ...

What is the difference between a boring conversation and a lively one? Comedian Chris Duffy says if you want to skip the small talk, try using these improv principles. To hear more of Duffy, check out ...

A quick back and forth with the cashier at the grocery store. A friendly hello to someone on the elevator. A laugh with a taxi driver. These are all examples of "small talk." Some of us live for small ...