Small talk

Small talk is an informal type of discourse that does not cover any functional topics of
conversation or any transactions that need to be addressed. In essence, it is polite conversation
about unimportant things. Small talk is light, informal conversation. It’s commonly used when
you’re talking to someone you don’t know very well and at networking and social events.

How to Make Small Talk

There are four strategies that’ll help you make small talk in any situation.

First, ask open-ended questions. Most people enjoy talking about themselves -- not only are we
are our favorite subjects, but it’s also easier to discuss yourself than something you know little
about. Think about it: Would you have a harder time speaking about 14th century glass-blowing
or your favorite book? Open-ended questions generate an interesting, dynamic conversation and
encourage the person you’re speaking with to open up.

Second, practice active listening. It’s tempting to tune out occasionally, but you’ll forge much
stronger connections if you pay attention. The other person will notice how engaged you seem.
In addition, it’s much easier to ask relevant questions and remember details to bring up later if
you’re not listening with one ear.

Third, put away your phone. We tend to pull out our phones when we’re feeling uncomfortable
or awkward in social situations, but nothing will sabotage your conversational efforts more
quickly. Few people will approach you if you’re scrolling through your phone -- and you’ll send
a plain message to anyone you’re already talking to that you’re not interested.

Fourth, show your enthusiasm. Small talk might not always be the most stress-free activity.
However, if you go into it with the right attitude, you can actually have fun. View these
conversations as opportunities to learn more about other people. You never know whom you’ll
meet or what they’ll have to share -- so embrace the chance it’ll be an amazing discussion.

Small Talk Topics

 Your location or venue

 Shows, movies, plays, etc.
 Art
 Food, restaurants, or cooking
 Their hobbies
 Their professional interests and responsibilities
 Sports
 The climate
 Travel
  Their local favorites

How to Get Better at Small Talk

It doesn’t matter how bad you are at small talk: With practice and the right strategies, you can
improve. Small talk is a skill just like any other.

1. Look for opportunities to make small talk.

The more frequently you do it, the more comfortable you’ll become. You’ll also quickly learn
which topics generate the best conversations, how to gauge a person’s mood and personality by
their body language and tone of voice, when to pivot to new topics, and the signs a conversation
has wrapped up.

To reduce your nervousness, practice your small talk in a low-stakes environment. Go to a casual
networking event for a different industry, attend a meetup, or ask your friends to bring you along
to their work events.

You can also “train” by talking to strangers when you’re out and about -- just make sure you
don’t force a conversation with anyone who’s clearly not interested.

2. Pretend you’re speaking to a friend.

Would you be on edge if you were making small talk with someone you knew really well?
Probably not. If you need a quick trick to mitigate your anxiety, pretend the other person is a
good friend. As an added benefit, this mental shift will make you seem warmer and friendlier.

3. Give yourself a break.

Don’t dwell on awkward moments or long silences. We’re all far more focused on and critical of
ourselves than anyone else in the room. You might be cringing for days after you mess up
someone’s name or crack a joke that falls flat, but chances are, every other person will forget
within two minutes.

Next time you’re worried about a specific faux pas, remind yourself it’s nowhere near as big a
deal as you think.

4. Set a goal.

Having an objective can make small talk feel more meaningful. For example, maybe you commit
to meeting four people at an event, or exchanging contact information with two other
professionals in your field.

Once you’ve gotten a concrete goal, you’ll feel purposeful and focused. This also allows you to
objectively measure your success.
DEBATE

What is Debating?

A debate is a structured argument.  Two sides speak alternately for and against a particular
contention usually based on a topical issue.  Unlike the arguments you might have with your
family or friends however, each person is allocated a time they are allowed to speak for and any
interjections are carefully controlled.  The subject of the dispute is often prearranged so you may
find yourself having to support opinions with which you do not normally agree.  You also have
to argue as part of a team, being careful not to contradict what others on your side have said.

Why debate?

It is an excellent way of improving speaking skills and is particularly helpful in providing

experience in developing a convincing argument. Those of you who are forced to argue against
your natural point of view realize that arguments, like coins, always have at least two sides.

 The Basic Debating Skills

Style

Style is the manner in which you communicate your arguments.  This is the most basic part of
debating to master.  Content and strategy are worth little unless you deliver your material in a
confident and persuasive way.

Speed

It is vital to talk at a pace which is fast enough to sound intelligent and allow you time to say
what you want, but slow enough to be easily understood. 

Tone

Varying tone is what makes you sound interesting.  Listening to one tone for an entire
presentation is boring.

Volume

Speaking quite loudly is sometimes a necessity, but it is by no means necessary to shout through
every debate regardless of context.  There is absolutely no need speak any more loudly than the
volume at which everyone in the room can comfortably hear you.  Shouting does not win
debates.  Speaking too quietly is clearly disastrous since no one will be able to hear you.

 Clarity

The ability to concisely and clearly express complex issues is what debating is all about.  The
main reason people begin to sound unclear is usually because they lose the “stream of thought”
which is keeping them going. It is also important to keep it simple. While long words may make
you sound clever, they may also make you incomprehensible. 

Use of notes and eye contact

Notes are essential, but they must be brief and well organized to be effective.  There is absolutely
no point in trying to speak without notes. Of course, notes should never become obtrusive and
damage your contact with the audience, nor should they ever be read from verbatim.  Most
people sketch out the main headings of their speech, with brief notes under each. 

When writing notes for rebuttal during the debate, it is usually better to use a separate sheet of
paper so you can take down the details of what the other speakers have said and then transfer a
rough outline onto the notes you will actually be using. 

Eye contact with the audience is very important, but keep shifting your gaze. No one likes to be
stared at. 

 Content

Content is what you actually say in the debate. The arguments used to develop your own side’s
case and rebut the opposite side’s. The information on content provided below is a general
overview of what will be expected when you debate. The final logistics of how long you will be
debating, how many people will be in your group, and how the debate will unfold (ie: which
team speaks first etc.), will all be decided by your tutorial leader.

Case (argument)- the whole

Introduction - The case your group is making must be outlined in the introduction.  This involves
stating your main arguments and explaining the general thrust of your case.  This must be done
briefly since the most important thing is to get on and actually argue it. It is also a good idea to
indicate the aspects of the subject to be discussed by each of the team members.

Conclusion - At the end, once everyone has spoken, it is useful to briefly summarize what your
group has said and why.

Case (argument)- the parts

Having outlined the whole of your argument, you must then begin to build a case (the parts). 
The best way to do this is to divide your case into between two and four arguments (or divide
your case based on the number of people in your group).  You must justify your arguments with
basic logic, worked examples, statistics, and quotes.  Debating is all about the strategy of
“proof”. Proof, or evidence, supporting your assertion is what makes it an argument. There are a
number of ways of dividing up cases according to groups of arguments (eg
political/economic/social or moral/practical or international/regional etc.) or just according to
individual arguments if you can’t group any together.  Under each of these basic headings you
should then explain the reasoning behind the argument and justify it using the methods outlined
above.  It is usually best to put the most important arguments first.  Here is an example of a case
outline:

   “The media exert more influence over what people think than the government does.  This is
true for three reasons.  Firstly, most people base their votes on what they see and hear in the
media. Secondly, the media can set the political agenda between elections by deciding what
issues to report and in how much detail.  Thirdly, the media have successfully demonized
politicians over the last ten years so that now people are more likely to believe journalists than
politicians.”  

All of the arguments in this case outline are debatable (almost immediately you can see the
counter-arguments), but they give the case a wide range which cover all kinds of issues.  The
trick is not to come up with a watertight case, but a well argued one.  Think: “Can I argue that?”

Rebuttal – the parts

Arguments can be factually, morally or logically flawed. They may be misinterpretations or they
may also be unimportant or irrelevant.  A team may also contradict one another or fail to
complete the tasks they set themselves.  These are the basics of rebuttal and almost every
argument can be found wanting in at least one of these respects.  Here are a few examples:

1.   “Compulsory euthanasia at age 70 would save the country money in pensions and
healthcare.”  This is true, but is morally flawed.

2.  “Banning cigarette product placement in films will cause more young people to smoke
because it will make smoking more mysterious and taboo.”  This is logically flawed, the ban
would be more likely to stop the steady stream of images which make smoking seem attractive
and glamorous and actually reduce the number of young people smoking.

3.   “My partner will then look at the economic issues...”  “Blah..blah..blah...(5 minutes later and
still no mention of the economic issues)”  This is a clear failure to explain a major part of the
case and attention should be drawn to it.  Even better is when a speaker starts with, “to win this
debate there are three things I must do…”.  If the speaker fails to do any of those things you can
then hang her or him by the noose by repeating their exact words – by his or her own admission
he or she cannot have won the debate.

Rebuttal – the whole:

It is very important to have a good perspective of the debate and to identify what the key
arguments are.  It isn’t enough to rebut a few random arguments here and there.  Of course the
techniques used above are invaluable but they must be used appropriately.  There are a number
of things you should do to systematically break down a team’s case: 
1.  Ask yourself how the other side have approached the case. Is their methodology flawed?

2.  Consider what tasks the other side set themselves (if any) and whether they have in fact
addressed these. 

3.  Consider what the general emphasis of the case is and what assumptions it makes. Try to
refute these. 

4.  Take the main arguments and do the same thing.  It is not worth repeating a point of rebuttal
that has been used by someone else already, but you can refer to it to show that the argument has
not stood up.  It is not necessary to correct every example used.  You won’t have time and your
aim is to show the other side’s case to be flawed in the key areas.

Group Discussion in Business Communication

Group Discussion is an important tool in the selection process. It is mostly used for selecting
candidates for management posts. Here, the candidates are divided into small groups. Each group
contains six to eight candidates. Each group is given a topic for discussion. They are also given a
time limit for discussing this topic. The topic may be a general or current topic.

For e.g. "Leaders are born, not made". Each participant has to give his or her views about this
topic. The selectors observe the full discussion. After the time limit is over, the best candidate
from the group is selected. The same process is followed for other groups.

Group discussion is mostly unstructured. That is, every single step is not planned in advance.
Each candidate is not given a time limit for speaking. Similarly, the order of speaking, that is,
who will speak first and who will speak last is not fixed in advance. The candidates have to
decide how to conduct the group discussion. The selectors see how the group takes shape, and
who contributes most to it. They also judge the knowledge of each candidate, time management,
leadership quality, behaviour, etc.

Purposes/Objectives of Group Discussion:

Group discussion actually detail the area of approach to a problem or topic. A fruitful group
discussion should include the following objectives:

1. Suggestions: Advice and ideas, together with suggestions, they form the core heart of a group
discussion. It is through these tools that a meaningful and practically implementable solution can
be reached. Intermingling of these suggestions give rise to a new ones, creating a space for best
possible output.
2. Wide Approach: Group discussion helps to provide wide approach to any matter under
consideration, as it include members from a large number of different sections of a particular
business organisation. The beauty of entire process is in the area of span it can give to a
problem’s redressal.

3. Decision Making: Group discussion should be able to justify itself as a tool for rational
evaluation of a problem and thereon reach to a suitable decisions, based on erstwhile suggestions
made by the members. It also makes it easier for the leader to able to take even the toughest of
decision with an ease, because by group discussion he can know what is supported by other
members of the organisation.

4. Exchange of Ideas: Group discussion should also be able to tap the working of every mind,
engaged in the process, by the exchange of ideas put forth.

5. Productive Activity: Group discussion is always supposed to be a productive activity in a

business concern. It always a method which helps to procure the best possible decision for a
concern.

Advantages of Group discussions: A group discussion has the following advantages:

1. More Rational Decision: The Group can produce more rational decisions because of deep
understanding and application of many minds in comparison to a single mind.

2. More Means: The group can pull together better resources. The joint resources of the group
would be superior to the resources of an individual.

3. Division of Labour: The group decision may lead to division of labour. People specializing in
different fields will contribute their expertise separately to achieve a better goal. In group
discussions, the process of sharing of views helps to eliminate errors of judgement.

4. Commitment: Group discussions results in commitment as it gives a feeling of involvement

and acceptance of the decision.

5. Increase in Knowledge: Group discussion increases the knowledge and understanding of the

participants. They exchange ideas, views, opinions and discuss the same at length. There is
practically no chance of ambiguity.

6. Solution for Complex Problems: Modern organisations face sufficiently complex problems.

Their solution calls for group discussion wherein persons with different abilities express their
valued opinions.

7. Encouragement of Democratic and Innovative Thinking: All members enjoy full freedom

and opportunity to express their opinion in group discussion. As a result of it, development of
democratic and innovative thinking get encouraged.
Limitations of Group Discussions: A group discussion also suffers from certain limitations:

1. Delay: Group discussion take time to be arranged and to take decisions.

2. Conflicts: The members whose views are not accepted may feel offended. Personal conflicts
and rivalry may obstruct proper and timely decision.

Why are Group Discussions used as a part of the selection process? 

Nowadays, be it any stream or field, interaction skills are highly valued. By means of group
discussions recruiters judge candidates capabilities in and out. Group discussions have become
an integral step of evaluation for process of recruitment and admissions. These discussions are
aimed at appraising various aspects of personality like confidence, communication skill,
patience, etc. At the same time Group discussions are also important to evaluate one’s command
on the given topic. 

Group Discussions measure certain attributes of the candidates that are otherwise difficult to
identify and time consuming to assess. A number of people who can communicate their ideas
well and discuss effectively with others in a one-to-one situation become tongue-tied in a group
situation. They will just not be able to present their ideas or discuss their ideas with the other
members of the group. A Group Discussion will identify people who have such group
communication skills and people who do not possess such group communication skills.

In today's context, the organizations are interested in team players rather than individual
contributors. During the Group Discussion, the panel essentially evaluates the candidate's
potential to be a leader and also his/her ability to work in teams. Most organizations today are
very clear about the skills and knowledge that they look for in a candidate while screening. This
was not the case a couple of years ago. Group Discussion has been a part of the Selection process
for admission into most of the top Business Schools  

The skills that are usually assessed in a Group Discussion are: 

• Communication Skills 

• Interpersonal Skills 

• Leadership Skills 

• Motivational Skills 

• Team Building Skills 

• Tolerance to Ambiguity 

• Divergent Thinking 
• Listening skills 

• Presentation Skills 

• Analytical / Logical skills,

So, it's important to assess candidate’s current strengths in all these areas and accordingly put
efforts to strengthen their weaknesses.

Tips for Success in GDs (Group Discussions) 

a) Initiate - Break the ice, be the first one to start the discussion, if somebody else has started,
relax. There are a lot of opportunities later. 

b) Listen - Carefully. Communication is a lot about listening. Listen, Comprehend, Analyse.

When you listen carefully, it allows you to contemplate and analyse which helps in speaking the
right thing at the right time. 

c) Remember - Names, Facts, Figures, Quotations. It helps a lot if you know who has spoken
what. If permitted, you can use a notepad to write. 

d) Observe - Body language, how conversation shapes up, gets diverted. Then do the right thing
at the right time. 

e) Manage - People. At times there are people who create difficult situations. These are best
opportunities to demonstrate assertive attitude. 

f) Communicate - Be frank, clear, firm and jovial in your communication. Your voice should
reach out but not irritate people. 

g) Summarise - If you did not initiate the talk, this is the right time. If you have been listening
carefully, your summary will be the best one. 

Meetings
A meeting is a formal or informal deliberative assembly of individuals called to debate certain
issues and problems, and to take decisions. Formal meetings are held at definite times, at a
definite place, and usually for a definite duration to follow an agreed upon agenda.

Types of Meetings

Status This kind of meeting is to bring everyone up to date on the state of the other peoples'
portions of a project. The participants are those reporting progress and those hearing it. An
agenda is required for this kind of meeting. It should last no more than fifteen minutes.
Action These meetings solve a particular problem. There are two kinds of action meeting,
decision making meetings and brainstorming meetings.

Decision making This should be an uncommon occurrence since decisions are usually taken by
one person. A meeting may be needed if the decision is not clear cut and the decision maker
wants suggestions or advice from others affected by it. For example a number of designs may be
submitted from which a choice must be made.

Brainstorming The purpose of this meeting is to come up with a variety of possible solutions to
some particular problem. Participants may include junior people as well as experienced
designers. Ideas from one person can inspire ideas in others people. One method is to get
everyone to write down many ideas in a short time. This prevents people evaluating and rejecting
ideas too soon. At the end of a brainstorming session or in a separate meeting the evaluation of
all the ideas takes place.

Characteristics of meeting

A successful meeting has four characteristics: The meeting must have a clear purpose and
should stick to the agenda.

 The meeting must start and end on time.

 Participants must be properly prepared

 Minutes must be taken.

Conducting Meetings

Running an effective business meeting can help the company produce results and meet important
goals. To make sure you have an effective meeting, here are some tips on how to conduct
effective meetings.

Outline your key meeting points with an agenda.

An important part of conducting an effective business meeting is meeting planning. Have your
key points written or typed out. You can also give the participants a copy of your agenda so that
they will know what to expect and they can prepare for the meeting themselves. In your agenda,
you should state your goal for the meeting. This should be the main end result you are aiming
for, such as coming up with a new idea or discussing an important issue. Try to limit the amount
of points on your agenda. You should cover the most important things in your meeting.

Follow the agenda when you conduct the meeting: Make sure to follow your meeting plan. If the
meeting starts to go off course or off topic, steer the meeting back to the topic at hand.
Start your meeting immediately: Start the meeting in time. This will help establish your role as
the leader as well as utilize the time you have.

Set a time limit for your meeting: Meetings shouldn't run too long; 30 minutes or shorter is a
good length. Keeping the meeting short will ensure that you are more efficient and use the time
wisely, and your participants will be more focused when they know the meeting is short. When
your time limit has run out, end your meeting. You can always cover other points in the next
meeting.

Encourage the meeting participants to add feedback and input: Ask questions and let people at
the meeting volunteer answers. Do not force participation, but gently encourage them to give
input. If 1 person comments, guide the others by saying something like, "Well done. Does
anyone else have something to contribute," or "Let's hear a suggestion from someone else."

Do not call upon those that rarely speak as this may make them feel uncomfortable. Encourage
them indirectly by saying, "I value the opinion of everyone here. Does anyone else want to add
something?" and glance at the person you want to speak up. He may be encouraged to share his
thoughts, and if he isn't, then he hasn't been embarrassed from being called upon.

Summarize the key points at the close of the meeting: Briefly go over what was discussed so that
the participants will leave with it in their mind. Give out any assignments or instructions before
closing, and end on time. Be sure to thank everyone for their attendance and participation.

Steps for an Effective meeting

Notice of Meeting

Let everyone involved know that you are requesting a meeting for a particular reason, and give
them the date, time and location for this. This is known as a Notice of Meeting and can take the
form of a memo, letter, poster and/or email communication.

AGENDA

Before the meeting starts (sometimes given at the same time as the Notice of Meeting), you need
to let all those invited to attend the meeting what it is that's to be discussed and the order that
these items will be mentioned in. Known as an Agenda, this lets everyone prepare for the
meeting in advance so that they can bring up any important points at the relevant time.

A formal agenda should always contain the following information:

1. The word Agenda

2. The name of the organisation, group or person calling the meeting

3. The date and time of the meeting

4. The meeting venue

5. Apologies

6. Minutes of the Last Meeting

7. Matters Arising

8. Your meeting's topics listed one after the other

9. Any Other Business

10. Date and Time of Next Meeting

The first 4 points here make up the header section for the Agenda, so the order of the information
may vary - as in the example agenda shown above, where the word 'Agenda' appears after the
rest of the header information.

A numbered list should then be given, with 5 of the points fixed as shown in the list above, and
any points specific to this particular meeting listed in the middle of them. That is, start with
Apologies (who can't attend the meeting), Minutes of the Last Meeting (even for a first meeting -
this just becomes 'not relevant') and Matters Arising (points still to be addressed from the
previous meeting's minutes).

Next come specific points for this meeting, and then round off with Any Other Business
(sometimes abbreviated to AOCB - for Any Other Current Business) where any relevant items
not already discussed in the meeting can be mentioned. Finally, the last point on the Agenda
should be a note of when the next meeting will be.