I belong to
some professional chat groups.
Most of the participants
are busy professionals.
They stay on topic,
ask questions,
supply answers,
and get back to work.
There are some participants
who chatter about anything and everything.
The moderators have to balance
being social
vs
wasting time.
No small talk creates a tense environment.
Too much small talk results
in busy professionals unsubscribing.
When I host meetings,
I decide
before the meetings start
how much time I’ll allow for small talk.
Once the time is up,
we get to work.
Be proactive.
Decide how much small talk
you’ll allow
before the event
or the sales call
or the chat group starts.