I took a few pages of notes while covering the NFL Draft this weekend. Most of the notes were on players drafted by the Seattle Seahawks. Some of the notes were related to the draft profiles of players. Those descriptions included words like: nimble, twitchy, explosive, aggressive, non-stop motor, and my personal favorite - "physical in phone booth fist-fights."

Given the lack of phone booths these days that description might be antiquated, but it certainly paints a picture (for those of us who remember phone booths) and it offers a great reminder of how small changes influence a conversation. A descriptive phrase sets a whole new interaction in motion. A thoughtful question gets small talk going in a more productive direction. 

Whether you're talking about the NFL Draft or some of the other sports headlines, these topics can help you get the conversation started. 

My grandma accused me of cheating. 

We were playing Skip-Bo and she (jokingly, I think) accused me of stacking the deck in order to win. For the record, I did not.. AND it got me thinking about the best ways to stack the deck in every day fashion. Preparing for conversations is one of the best way I can think of to make sure I'm set up to win. It's one of the reasons I publish these conversation starters every week. 

Stack the cards in your favor by making sure you have something to talk about. 

In sports, the smallest adjustments can lead to the best results. It's rare that you see high-performing athletes completely overhaul their technique. It's far more likely they're experimenting with small changes that make them more efficient and effective.

The same can be true in our conversations at work. Small adjustments can lead to the best results including in small talk. Instead of starting the conversation with "How was your weekend?" asking "What was the best part of your weekend?" or "What's the most exciting thing you have on the schedule this week?" can take the conversation in a different (maybe more efficient, productive or interesting) direction. 

If you really want to switch things up you can incorporate these sports topics making headlines this week. 

During baseball season I spend more time talking to people I don't know or people I don't see often than any other time of the year. It's because I'm asked to interview opposing players and chat with coaches and broadcasters who come into town once a year. 

It can be nerve-wracking sometimes, even for someone who's outgoing and typically at ease striking up a conversation. I speak from experience, and I know it's much less nerve-wracking when I'm prepared. Whether it's having my questions ready to go, or a small talk topic at the ready, preparation makes it easier. 

A few minutes looking at these sports headlines can have the same effect on your conversations this week too. 

I’ve spent the last few days talking to newcomers in the Mariners clubhouse and it’s surprising the number of times the word “communication” has come up. They’ve pointed to the importance of communicating to build camaraderie with teammates, to make sure everyone is on the same page and understanding the vision and goals of the organization. It was another reminder to me that while skill and talent are hugely important factors in success, communication is just as important.

I promise the guys don’t talk about work in every conversation either. They’re engaging in small talk to build relationships. These sports topics can help you do the same thing this week.

There's plenty of room to think outside the box scores this week and use sports small talk to springboard into different conversations. 

The start of baseball season can prompt stories from childhood and watching games as a family. Or maybe it's the ballpark food you indulge in from time to time. When talking about the NCAA Tournament you could turn the conversation towards celebrating successes. How long to you give yourself to enjoy a win? For NCAA Tournament teams there's not much time before they have to look ahead to the next game. 

Sports talk can be whatever you want it to be. These topics could help spark the conversation this week. 

March Madness is officially underway. What strategy did you use to fill out your brackets? 

Are you the type to go with top seeds? Looking for the upsets? Riding the hot hand? Mascot matchups? 

Notice that I'm assuming you're filling out at least one bracket. It's because you should. It's an easy way to connect with sports fans and there's literally zero pressure because there's never been a verified perfect bracket in the history of the NCAA Tournament. So what is there to lose? Nothing, but there's so many conversation starters to gain. There's also these topics making news this week. 

Selection Sunday is a week away, there have been plenty of bombshells in the NFL ahead of the new league year Wednesday and Alexander Ovechkin is less than a month away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s scoring record.

All of that is to say there are plenty of sports topics that can spice up small talk conversations this week.

For as much as I like to emphasize the importance of small talk in relationship building, sometimes you just don’t have time. Or maybe you have time for a three-minute conversation, but not a 25-minute conversation. I totally get it, but do you ever mention that to the person you’re talking to? Or do you just hope they can read your mind?

It is possible to be direct and kind in setting parameters around conversations.

If small talk feels like a waste of time because it takes too long, be clear about how much time you do have to chat. For example, “I only have three minutes before I need to hop on a call, but I wanted to ask how your trip went over the weekend?” When you set up the conversation with clear expectations it’s not rude to look at your watch or interrupt when it’s time to hop on that call, you’re just doing what you said you were going to do.

If you need a few sports topics to help break the ice in those conversations, these topics can help.

The idea that more is better leads us to believe that longer conversations (i.e. more words) are needed to make an impact. That’s simply not true.

You can’t measure the impact of a conversation by the number of words (although researchers continue to try.) Impact comes down to making an authentic connection that’s driven by curiosity. That means a quick conversation about a favorite team or sport can be impactful in building relationships.

If you don’t know where to start here are a few sports topics making headlines this week.