Kuda Brandt
You are in the boardroom having fruitful deliberations, and you are well on your way to sealing the deal. There are still i’s to be dotted and t’s to be crossed, so you resolve to reconvene at a later date. The chair adjourns the meeting, and everyone is now more at ease.
Then comes the small talk.
Structured small talk
The Collins Dictionary defines small talk as “polite conversation about unimportant things that people make at social occasions.”
While this is true, in formal settings, it is crucial to note that even if a meeting has officially ended, as long as you are still in the presence of your guests, the meeting is still ongoing. Until you part ways, everything is still in the minutes, even if it is not formally on record, and it will be mentally noted.
If your engagements were about forging international collaborations with a women’s rights group, for example, you simply may not engage in commentary that negates your efforts. Your conduct throughout the meeting must be reflective of how sensitive you are, for example, to women’s rights. Your pitch can be great, but the way you talk over those dinner engagements can leave a bitter taste in the mouths of your guests. If all else fails, stick to talking about the weather.
Of course, be very authentic, as people can smell pretentiousness from a mile away, but stay focused on the end-goal. Be responsible.
Joking etiquette
Generally, as Africans, we are warm and cheerful beings by nature, and we do not usually economise on making jokes. However, there is a fine line between people laughing with you and people laughing at you.
Billionaire tech entrepreneur and philanthropist Strive Masiyiwa, in a LinkedIn article, cautions against joking. He says, “The problem with jokes is that they do not always work when you are dealing with people from other cultures, or even with people of another generation. It is very, very risky, and can take away any chance of raising capital or finding serious partners.” He goes on to advise: “If you like joking around, sharing jokes, etc, just remember that in the world of senior-class entrepreneurship, it can be like carrying a banner saying, ‘Please do not take me seriously!’ When you meet potential investors, do everything you can to signal that I am serious—so serious that you can trust me with your money.”
This is true. I might even add that one cannot go wrong with maintaining a professional tone. If you must make jokes, be sure you are literate in ‘reading the room’. Know who you are talking to, and be able to gauge and earn their level of comfort. Mastering joke etiquette might spare you from becoming the laughing stock.
Brand consistency
We are humans, each with multiple layers, so who we are on LinkedIn might vary vastly from the versions of us on TikTok. But, in the same breath, these varied versions should not conflict with one another. Your messaging or ‘small talk’ on various platforms must be consistent, even if the delivery is different.
Again, as an example, you may not promote women’s rights on LinkedIn, but on TikTok dance to music that is derogatory of this very same group. It is not easy to be deliberate and meticulous with one’s content, but it is not impossible, and it is not too late to start now.
All in all, perhaps consistently staying cognisant of who you are talking to, whether it is in a formal setting or not, might be the one thing that will save you from deal-breaking communication misfires.
*Kuda Brandt is a communications specialist, who is committed to life-long learning.