Innovation and the Fine Art of Small Talk!

Who better to talk about the “Fine Art of Small Talk” than Debra Fine herself?  Speaking to a group of 500 CEOs, business owners, and their key executives in Houston today, Fine did a brilliant job of captivating her audience on the importance of stepping outside their comfort zones.   Part of the process we call innovation is the ability to meet new people from whom we can gain new insights and ideas.   To do that, we have to break the ice and dig deeper in our conversations.  Once we can make that happen, there’s no telling what we can learn!

Fine’s presentation at this year’s 6th Vistage Executive Summit was extremely well received.   While most people may think of small talk as essential to innovation, it’s hard to have the big innovative conversations if you lack the ability to talk about the little stuff.  It’s difficult to earn the trust and dedication of your employees if you’re only interested in what they can do for your company.   To win the day, you have to take an interest in them – not just as employees but as human beings.   If people are really what make your company run, then you need to make time for the people you know (but may not know well enough) and reach out to the ones you don’t.

Even in a room full of confident CEOs and business owners, Fine tapped into the common fear of introducing yourself to someone you don’t know.   Everyone in the audience felt it, yet it was clear during the break, that she broke new ground with this audience.  Rory Sutherland advises us to “sweat the small stuff” and Debra Fine reminds us of the importance of sweating the “small talk.”  Both offer big rewards!

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