Get Beyond Small Talk To Forming Meaningful Connections At Work

Striking up a conversation at work can be intimidating. We avoid eye contact, turn our heads away, and pretend to be busy on our phones all in an attempt to save ourselves from the awkward moment of meeting someone and being not sure what to say.

And if we do gather up a little courage to look them in the eye, the conversation starter 'hey, what's up, how is it going, how are you?' instantly kills the conversation. Everyone knows these words are an attempt to be polite without the intention to engage.

There are plenty of opportunities at work to bond with coworkers. How about a few moments before the meeting gets started, lunch hours, coffee breaks, or those other water cooler chats.