Improve your public speaking and presentation skills.
Chatting in elevators
I love riding in elevators, and if you’re like me, you experience a lot of rides every week. It’s something we take for granted and really don’t give it much thought. But for me, it’s an endless study in how people communicate with each other – or don’t.
Usually, unless people are with someone they know and are already engaged in a conversation, most people don’t talk with others in the evaluator. They look at their phones, the walls, look up at the floor numbers whizzing by, or catch furtive glances at what other people are wearing.
I usually try to engage in small talk on a variety of topics – weather, the day of the week (Monday, hump day, TGIF), the time of the day (starting or ending the workday) or anything else currently in the news.
What I’ve discovered is that most people also love chatting; they just don’t initiate the conversation. My topics are always light-hearted, and whatever floor people get off, they usually leave with a smile on their face, instead of the bored look of isolation.
Many people seek me out for coaching around increasing their comfort around ‘small talk’. Many cultures don’t do it – some even think it’s a pretty lame way to spend one’s time. However, in the US most of us engage in chit chat and don’t think twice about it.
It’s an important skill to develop, whether you are in corporate or own a business. It’s an instantaneous way of determining whether you are comfortable and confident with your communications.
So, if you want to increase your comfort level with giving presentations, start small….. become friends with the “Gift of Gab”!
July 26 is National Talk in an Elevator Day…. (Don’t you just love all these random celebratory days?). There is plenty of time between now and then to practice, so go ahead and strike up a conversation the next time you step into an elevator and see what happens! I’m sure you’ll be pleasantly surprised with the results!
Upcoming Events
Capital Club Events
If you would like to attend an event at the Silicon Valley Capital Club and you are not a member, please let me know and I will assist you in registering for the event.
Capital Forum – July 16 at 6:00 PM
Join us for an evening with David Lewis as he shares the history of how San Francisco Bay was saved from destruction, and new challenges and opportunities facing our region’s greatest natural treasure.
Women’s Luncheon Series – July 18 at 11:30 AM
This month we’re talking about Creating Digital Ecosystems That Empowers Change Globally from Cheryl Contee, CEO and co-founder of Do Big Things, a digital agency that creates new narratives and new tech for a new era focused on causes and campaigns.
