I think small talk means you are trying to befriend management. You are getting your foot in the door. I think you make your face known to them so they will remember you.
I think that small talk with middle management is important because middle management are a link between you and upper management. Getting to know a person in a higher position makes for a friendly environment and eventually you will be on there mind when asked for a recommendation. All communication is important when at work. But being friendly with middle management is smart.
This is a topic that is near and dear to the hearts of my readers, researchers, and website visitors. So much so that one of them were kind enough to share their own personal opinions. I don’t claim to be the best interviewer in the world, but I do promise some good, raw, and honest answers from normal people like you and me. I do my best to NOT filter these answers, except for the bad words and hateful speech.
With that little blurb out of the way, let’s dive right into the juicy bits of (potentially) life-changing insights.
Current Topic: Small Talk With Middle Management
‘R’ = Richard N. Stephenson (me!)
‘I’ = Interviewee (anonymous by request unless otherwise noted)
R: What’s so special about this topic anyway?
I: It helps them get to know you so that they remember you. Being memorable definitely helps climb corporate ladders – if it’s a good memorable.
R: How could this subject help you or someone you know change your life for the better?
I: Middle managers are where the rubber hits the road. Often, speaking to a middle manager is where the most action will occur. They are close enough to the people who work very hard, but have access to the people who run the operations. A middle manager can change your life by both listening to you and speaking up for you.
R: Tell me about your thoughts on how this helps folks be better in life?
I: Speaking with middle management can offer insight and insider knowledge into the workings of a company. A lower level employee can gain favor and an inside track toward a promotion. Small talk, especially at work hones a person’s ability to be charismatic, though often times phony. Occasionally, small talk with middle management can further interpersonal relationships away from work.
R: Describe the perfect person to be the poster-child for this topic.
I: Upper management. In my experience upper management tend to try and gauge middle management with small talk. Or in some cases, they simply want to come off as a friend so that you are more likely to work with them and not in spite of them.
R: Provide us with an example of what kind of person is better of never talking about this subject ever again.
I: Imagine a from-home worker who does most, if not all, of his work away from the office. He limits himself severely to have any kind of meetings or interactions with middle management that would be described as small talk. The person who is worst at small talk with middle management is he who never gives himself the chance — they rely instead on messaging middle management or sending them e-mails.
R: Describe the “perfect day” as far as making this subject a part of your life.
I: I make it part of my life by making a conscious effort to always make small talk. I always initiate conversation especially on Fridays it is easy to make small talk about plans for the weekend. I am also always pleasant and cheerful when greeting middle management at any point during the day.
R: When do you think new folks should get into this topic?
I: When you are getting coffee in the break room. When you are out to lunch with other employees. When you are hosting a dinner party at your home. After a conference or during a car ride to a meeting.
R: Describe a time when it is inappropriate to bring up this subject.
I: There are a lot of inappropriate times to bring in small talk with middle management – when you should be working on an assigned project, for example. They might think you are ignoring the task at hand, or procrastinating. They want to see you focused on the job.
R: Where’s the best place someone can bring this topic into their life?
I: A comfortable and local coffee shop outside of the office. This way both parties are in a neutral space that encourages open and honest discussion of the topics at hand. For example, I find it much easier to talk to someone when they are in a comfortable setting and at ease as opposed to when they are nervous or guarded.
R: Tell us about the worst place to make this subject part of our lives.
I: During a project or task. If you attempt to make small talk with a manager when you’re supposed to be working, it shows that you have no regard for the health of the company. Doing so would damage your reputation with that particular manager.
R: Who’s someone (or group) you think could gain a bunch from learning more about this topic?
I: The top management would benefit from that. That’s because they would understand how the other employees are doing. Then also be able to offer great advice to the lower management and employees on how they could do things better. Then the whole company would run much better.
R: How would you recommend people get started on this topic?
I: My most useful piece of advice for someone that wants help with small talk with middle management is to be polite and friendly. Most people would rather work with someone who is nice, even if that person is a little bit less productive than someone who is highly skilled. It is important to be respectful to middle management and pleasant to be around.
R: What would you say is something we should avoid at all costs when it comes to this topic?
I: One thing that should be avoided with small talk with middle management is upper management. Being in the middle is not fun! All middle management wants is to move up in the company if they have already made it to middle management.
R: What’s the very next step someone should take to learn more about this topic?
I: I would use what I know about that particular manager, and try to make it work to my favor. If we identify with the same group or like the same thing, it is more likely that I will receive good treatment compared to someone who hasn’t bonded with middle management.
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Thank you for reading this personal journey into becoming a better person and having a better future ahead of you. I hope you enjoyed this interview conversation and found golden nuggets you can immediately apply to your daily life.
If you’re interested in discovering how to use small talk to succeed at work, transform your introversion into a useful skill, and handle those annoying coworkers, then check out Just Say Something!.
Please feel free to share your thoughts, comments, or personal life-changing wisdom below.