Did you know that "having small talks" before the meeting is very common!

Did you know about the culture in English speaking meetings?

Before you jump into the meeting topics, it's common to have a little bit of SMALL TALK with meeting members. Don't just dive into the meeting! Have a little bit of small talks to ease the tension and this will help you with a smoother flow of the meeting.

In my experience in Japan, most Japanese businessmen and women tend to jump into the the meeting contents soon after the greetings.

But, in an English speaking meeting, enjoying a little bit of small talk (2~5 minutes) is very natural.

In some cases, the small talks could go even longer!

Some common small talk topics are :

1. Weekend plans

2. Weather

3. Holiday

4. Favorite places/restaurants ...etc.

Please try to avoid too much personal topics!

And example of small talk:

Lisa : Hi James! Thanks for joining the meeting.

James : Thanks for inviting.

Lisa : So, did you have a nice weekend?

James : Yes, I did. Thanks. I spent the time with my children at home.

What about you?

Lisa : Oh I had a very relaxing weekend.

Anyway, let's start the meeting.

James : Sure!

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Of course , if you are having a having a meeting about a "serious" or "crucial" situation, you might want to avoid small talks.

Otherwise, you can enjoy a little bit of chat about the above topics and then start the meeting.

This will help you relax and have an effective meeting!

Try the small talk techniques and good luck with your future meetings!

Saiful