How To!: Make Small Talk Feel Big
b'Small talk has a bad reputation. It\\u2019s boring, shallow, and awkward. Who really wants to talk about the weather, again? But, when done right, it can be a cornerstone of connection. In this episode, Carvell Wallace is joined by Susan McPherson, the author of The Lost Art of Connecting. Susan is going to help our listener, Bee, navigate the uncomfortable small talk that she endures everyday at school pickup. Along the way, we\\u2019ll learn what questions to have in our back pocket, how to turn small talk into big talk, and even how to extract ourselves from conversations that are going on too long.\\xa0\\n\\nIf you liked this episode, check out: How To Talk to Strangers and How To Make Humor Your Superpower\\n\\nDo you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at howto@slate.com or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.\\n\\nHow To\\u2019s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer and our producer is Rosemary Belson.\\xa0\\n\\nSlate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/howtoplus.\\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices'