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I'M ONE TO TALK

Our Blog Posts will help you reach your full potential in becoming a confident conversationalist. New topics each week.

Sports Conversation Starters for Your Workweek

conversation starters Jan 21, 2024

Last week I read an article about journaling and loved the idea of this journal prompt: What story-worthy experience happened yesterday?

Essentially it’s a different way of asking, “Did you do anything interesting yesterday?”  

As a journal prompt it’s a great question. As a conversation starter it’s probably a non-starter. So is every other weirdo, off the wall, out of left field question. Catching people off guard in small talk doesn’t lead to conversation. It leads to confusion and an awkward interaction.

Here’s what I recommend -ask a question you know they’ll have an immediate answer to. Something like “Did you watch the playoff games?” “Did you see who won the golf tournament?”

Even if the answer is “No” the follow up is much easier than trying to redirect a conversation that was sidetracked before it got started – especially if you brush up on these sports topics making news this...

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Sports Conversation Starters for Your Workweek

conversation starters Jan 14, 2024

I have seen and experienced all range of emotions in the last week as both a sports fan and someone who works in sports.

The passion I’ve seen is a great reminder as to why sports small talk can be a powerful way to connect. Fans care about sports. This isn’t the weather. It’s not just something to fill the time between getting off work and going to bed. Sports fans are invested. When you tap into that passion you’re not just talking about sports. You’re learning about what interests, drives and motivates the people around you and that’s critical for communication, leading and being productive at work. 

Don’t overlook small talk as a way to connect especially when you use these sports topics this week.

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Sports Conversation Starters for Your Workweek

conversation starters Jan 07, 2024

Whether you created goals, resolutions or intentions for 2024 I’m willing to bet that meeting them and following through on them require communication skills. Success doesn’t happen in a vacuum and your talent and want-to are part of the equation, so are your communication skills.

So with that in mind use small talk to build the skills you need for bigger conversations. Be intentional with how you approach small talk and what you want to get out of interactions because all of it can help you reach your goals/resolutions/intentions this year.

These sports conversation starters can get the ball rolling this week.

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Sports Conversation Starters for Your Workweek

conversation starters Dec 31, 2023

Records were made to be broken and  every streak comes to an end.

Last week was the first time in more than decade I didn’t post a version of conversation starters. It was somewhat of a last minute decision and an opportunity I’d been looking for.

I pride myself on consistency, but I wanted a little bit of a break and I wanted to alleviate the pressure of keeping a streak alive.

Here’s something to consider as we start the new year focused on new habits, goal-setting and creating new opportunities - the streaks you stop are just as important as the ones you start.

And here are few sports topics you can consider in small talk this week.

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Sports Conversation Starters for Your Workweek

conversation starters Dec 17, 2023

You’ve got enough going on this week. No need to create more work for yourself, and that includes in your conversations. A few conversation starters will make small talk easier and more productive. If you’re stuck coming up with a few, these sports topics can help.

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Sports Conversation Starters for Your Workweek

conversation starters Dec 10, 2023

Every week when you glance at these sports conversation starters the nuts and bolts of the game or the story probably stand out. That’s on purpose. I want you to have enough information to join a conversation and build your knowledge base.

You could also look for the business connections and ways to springboard into larger conversations. This week I would point to the Heisman voting and Heisman award winner as a way to talk about the criteria you use to judge success or maybe the note about the MLS Champions as a way to start a conversation about the talent you need to get to the next level.

Sports is more than stats and scores – if you want it to be. And you can use these sports conversation starters however you want this week.

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Sports Conversation Starters for Your Workweek

conversation starters Dec 03, 2023

It’s so awkward but I’ve got to do it.

That was part of a text from a friend contemplating her next round of networking emails. I totally understand both the anxiety and the awkwardness. My suggestion was to shift the focus of the conversation and use an alternate conversation starter to initiate the interaction.

Here’s why I offered that approach: Preparing ahead of time for the objective you want to achieve helps make the conversation more productive and less uncomfortable. 

To that end, these sports conversation starters might come in handy this week.

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Sports Conversation Starters for Your Workweek

conversation starters Nov 26, 2023

When it comes to small talk if you yourself don’t want to answer the question (or can’t answer the question) you’re asking, you should probably change your approach.

If you don’t want to talk about your Thanksgiving weekend you might not want to ask someone else about theirs, because there’s a pretty good chance they’re going to flip the conversation back to you thereby forcing you to have a conversation you didn’t want to have in the first place.

If it’s difficult for you to answer a question about your favorite Thanksgiving or holiday tradition it’s best to rethink the question you would ask.

If you’re looking for a broader conversation topic this week, start with sports. Even a yes/no question like “Did you watch any games this weekend?” can lead you to a number of different conversations.

Here are a few sports headlines making news this week that you can use to spark small talk.

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Sports Conversation Starters for Your Workweek

conversation starters Nov 19, 2023

Conversations on Thanksgiving usually take care of themselves, but just in case you need a few additional topics these sports notes are just the trick.

When you’ve had your fill of football and turkey consider a cooking show binge-fest of I Cook, You Measure presented by Safeway. I’ll drop a new episode Friday!

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Sports Conversation Starters for Your Workweek

conversation starters Nov 12, 2023

The interactions that stood out most to me last week weren’t long and some weren’t even in person, but they all included an element of unexpected kindness. It was a short text from a friend I hadn’t talked to in a while, a stranger saying "Hi" at the grocery store. Someone going above and beyond to say something kind.

The most impactful interactions don’t have to be lengthy conversations. You can make an impact through your sports conversations by reaching out to a fan whose team won a big game and text “That was a great game this week.” It’s a simple way recognize someone and their interests. If you want something more specific here are a few topics making headlines – and conversations – this week.

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