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NICHOLAS BOOTHMAN
standing or taking your place at a restaurant or sitting
next to someone on a bus, you can make a comment
about the location or something going on around:
“Never got my umbrella when I need it,” “Easy
parking today.” Even if it’s just to yourself, people
close by can hear you and some will react. Most people
are friendly and perfectly open to chatting. It just takes
a little push to cross the stranger barrier.
“I love this,” Kim told me. “I absolutely hate the
‘How’s the weather’ and ‘How ’bout them Blue Jays eh’
type of small talk. I make it a point to talk to most
strangers like I do to my friends or family . . . if
someone sneezes, I say ‘bless you.’ I compliment them
on something cool they’re wearing . . . some people
think I’m crazy, but I usually get a very warm
response. I’ve come to realize that if they are wearing
it, they must like it, so how in the world would
agreeing with them be stupid?”
Just Start Talking
The idea behind assuming rapport is that you don’t
use any particular opening line—you just start talking.
As you learn to include details about whatever’s going
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