A sporting event is just that – an event. There’s always more going on than the game itself and that introduces additional conversation topics outside of the stats, scores and outcome.

Sports conversations don’t have to focus on the game itself. You can choose to talk about the experience of watching a game.

The Super Bowl is a great example. You could talk about the teams and players or you could talk about the food, commercials, halftime entertainment, location, parties you’ll attend and who you’ll be watching it with.

There are few events as big as the Super Bowl during the year, but these potential conversation topics exist in every game. You could choose to talk about what you ate a game, or restaurants near the stadium you like to visit. Talking about the vibe in the building or the friends who went to the game with you is an option too. If you watched a game on TV, the location of the game could lead to conversations about travel or personal...

My current travel schedule takes me all over the country covering football and hockey. In each city I try to find something unique or local to the area. (It’s how I ended up at a Piggly Wiggly grocery store somewhere between Milwaukee and Green Bay on Saturday night, but that’s an entirely different story.) 

Here’s what not unique – the way fans talk about their team and sports in general. Fan bases have their own identities, but the way they actually talk about sports is similar. That means if you have a topic and something to say, you can talk to any fan you encounter.

These sports conversation starters can help you with that this week.

Talented teams and athletes make winning look effortless. It’s not just their physical strength and abilities that lead to results, it’s the habits they lean on daily that produce great outcomes. 

There’s always more going on behind the scenes than what you see on game day. The same is true in your office and with your team. Your habits determine your success even more than your talent and hard work.

Here are three high-performance habits you can borrow from sports to help you win at work. 

1. Practice like you play. Coaches preach it, athletes say it. It sounds cliché until you watch professional athletes in practice. Of course, Russell Wilson is practicing touchdown throws to Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf. Of course, the Mariners are trying to launch it out of the ballpark during at least one round of batting practice. But do you know what they do at least 90% of the time? They practice fundamentals at very basic levels. Hand placement, wrist...

Sports conversations are a great place to practice the skills you need in other conversations.

For example, diversity of thought and being inclusive at work requires the ability to listen to colleagues with different experiences and backgrounds. Practice by listening to fans with different opinions and backgrounds.

You don’t have to cheer for the same team, see eye-to-eye on a big free-agent signing or agree on the best player of all time. But you can join the conversation with the intention of listening and respecting other fans. 

Here are a few topics to get those conversations started this week.

If you’ve jumped on the Ted Lasso bandwagon you know it is possible to be kind and competitive at the same time.

It’s a scripted show with a Hollywood storyline but I’ve actually worked with coaches who are that kind. I’ve seen fans be the ultimate encouragers. I’ve experienced entire communities rally around sports.

And after 20 years in sports broadcasting, I’ve seen the opposite.

I’ve heard fans yelling profanities at teenagers and try to explain their bad behavior by saying sports is their escape. Claiming you’re a different person at a game than you are at work is a convenient cop out, but it’s not true. You are the same person on game day as you are every other day of the week. The environment is different, but you are an extension of the same person. That’s why it’s important to be as intentional with your fandom as you are in your business relationships. This is all part of your brand.

As someone who attends...

If initiating small talk isn’t your jam, then bring the conversation to you by displaying the logo of your favorite team where people can see it.

You could wear it, use a notebook or pen that has a team logo or make sure it’s in view of your Zoom background. Sports fans will pick up on it and ask.

If you do feel like striking up the conversation, these sports conversation starters will help.

If starting a conversation is intimidating or challenging for you, use this Talk Sporty 101 tactic to bring the conversation to you - wear your team's logo. 

When you wear the logo of your favorite team you make it easy for other people to say something first. This strategy is particularly effective for introverts and if you're in large group settings, like parties and networking events, that might be overwhelming. 

Here are a few things to remember when using this strategy:

1. The conversation doesn't have to be more than a few sentences long.
2. The only thing you really need to know is why you cheer for that team. 
3. Fall back on the previous Talk Sporty 101 strategies like No, but... and Defining Your Expertise to guide the conversation toward something you want to talk about. 

This is a great approach if you don't want to be the first person to say something. In addition, it will help you identify other sports fans who would be open to sports small talk. 

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You can’t gain more confidence without practice.

As Nike taught us a long time ago – just do it.

It doesn’t get easier to strike up conversations with strangers, or initiate a sports conversation, or lead a meeting or attend a networking event unless you just do it.

Find small ways to step out of your comfort zone, like committing to a quick 30-second small talk exchange. These sports conversation starters can help with what to say.

When push comes to shove it could be tempting to quit, but that's not a choice for the athletes I work with. Professional athlete don't just leave the field during the middle of a game. They don't throw in the towel at halftime and decide not to play the second half. They don't quit.

That's not to say it's easy, but here's where athletes have the advantage: they've failed a lot. They've lost games, they've missed shots, they've had bad games, and they've bounced back. That's resiliency and tenacity. 

Tenacity in sports looks different than in business, but it requires the same mindset. Elaina Morris Herber is a former collegiate soccer player and the President and CEO of Ascend Hospitality Group. 

There’s nothing wrong with focusing on the outcome of a game. It’s what most fans talk about which make scores, or at least noting a win/loss, helpful in small talk.

But there are other takeaways from games including communication and leadership lessons. I’ve outlined at least five ways you can level up your leadership skillswhile watching sports and coming up Wednesday you can join the conversation with former MLS player Roger Levesque at 10am PST. Use this link to register for free.

And of course you can use this list of sports conversation starters all week long.