My grandma accused me of cheating. 

We were playing Skip-Bo and she (jokingly, I think) accused me of stacking the deck in order to win. For the record, I did not.. AND it got me thinking about the best ways to stack the deck in every day fashion. Preparing for conversations is one of the best way I can think of to make sure I'm set up to win. It's one of the reasons I publish these conversation starters every week. 

Stack the cards in your favor by making sure you have something to talk about. 

In sports, the smallest adjustments can lead to the best results. It's rare that you see high-performing athletes completely overhaul their technique. It's far more likely they're experimenting with small changes that make them more efficient and effective.

The same can be true in our conversations at work. Small adjustments can lead to the best results including in small talk. Instead of starting the conversation with "How was your weekend?" asking "What was the best part of your weekend?" or "What's the most exciting thing you have on the schedule this week?" can take the conversation in a different (maybe more efficient, productive or interesting) direction. 

If you really want to switch things up you can incorporate these sports topics making headlines this week. 

Fans of the Seattle Mariners know how special Cal Raleigh is as a player and what he means to the organization. After hearing Cal in interviews over the years they also have a good sense of his personality and sense of humor. 

Cal Raleigh is all about the team. He doesn't like to talk about himself, but he was forced to Friday night when he set a franchise record for most home runs by a catcher.

It's a huge milestone and one he didn't really want to talk about, but I couldn't avoid asking the questions because it's the topic everyone watching expects him to talk about. Here's how I approached the walk-off interview with Cal Raleigh and what it means for the conversations you're having at work.

I can't change anyone's personality. I can't force them to answer questions in a specific way. It's important to meet people where they are in a conversation and that's why it's important to spend time building relationships and talking to co-workers. You'll be in a better position to under...

During baseball season I spend more time talking to people I don't know or people I don't see often than any other time of the year. It's because I'm asked to interview opposing players and chat with coaches and broadcasters who come into town once a year. 

It can be nerve-wracking sometimes, even for someone who's outgoing and typically at ease striking up a conversation. I speak from experience, and I know it's much less nerve-wracking when I'm prepared. Whether it's having my questions ready to go, or a small talk topic at the ready, preparation makes it easier. 

A few minutes looking at these sports headlines can have the same effect on your conversations this week too. 

You can be authentic and prepared all at the same time. In fact, it's the only way I made it through technical difficulties during a pregame interview this week.

I was chatting with NBA and Seattle SuperSonics legend Gary Payton and while he was answering the first question I got word the microphone was cutting in and out. We needed to make a switch during the live interview. There was a lot happening behind the scenes and the interview could have easily gone off the rails if not for a script and time spent planning for distractions. 

Often when I suggest scripting out a presentation or interview, folks push back and say things like "I want it to sound conversational." or "I don't want it to sound scripted." or "I just want to show up and be present in the moment." 

The technical difficulties during the pregame interview are a reminder about the value of scripting and preparing. I was able to stay focused while dealing with a huge distraction and hopefully no one at home knew the...

I’ve spent the last few days talking to newcomers in the Mariners clubhouse and it’s surprising the number of times the word “communication” has come up. They’ve pointed to the importance of communicating to build camaraderie with teammates, to make sure everyone is on the same page and understanding the vision and goals of the organization. It was another reminder to me that while skill and talent are hugely important factors in success, communication is just as important.

I promise the guys don’t talk about work in every conversation either. They’re engaging in small talk to build relationships. These sports topics can help you do the same thing this week.

Just in case you were wondering... and I know some of you are because I frequently get questions (more like comments on social media) inquiring about my thought process during post-game interviews. It's usually some form of "What was she thinking?" 

Now you don't have to guess or wonder, I'm pulling back the curtain for the first time and sharing my thought process and factors at play when guiding the conversation during a post-game interview. 

Jorge Polanco played both hero and goat during the Mariners 2025 Opening Day win against the A's and we talked about the good and the bad during the walk-off, on-field interview. It's always easier to talk after wins but it doesn't mean we can (or should) avoid the mistakes - something that's true in sports and business. 

Going behind the scenes of this post-game interview gives you an idea of how approach conversations about accountability with your team at work. It's another way to think outside the box scores and make sports conversatio...

There's plenty of room to think outside the box scores this week and use sports small talk to springboard into different conversations. 

The start of baseball season can prompt stories from childhood and watching games as a family. Or maybe it's the ballpark food you indulge in from time to time. When talking about the NCAA Tournament you could turn the conversation towards celebrating successes. How long to you give yourself to enjoy a win? For NCAA Tournament teams there's not much time before they have to look ahead to the next game. 

Sports talk can be whatever you want it to be. These topics could help spark the conversation this week. 

The NCAA Tournament always provides sports fans with the buzzer-beaters, game-winners, upsets and Cinderella stories they crave all year. The games also offer reminders about communication skills we should be practicing with our own teams at work.

Here are three situations you’ll see frequently throughout the tournament that relate to effective communication at work.

High-5’s and locker room celebrations. You’re never going to see a winning team skip the celebration. It might be more subdued after a blowout win and more emphatic after a buzzer-beater, but winning teams acknowledge and celebrate their success. That’s kind of the point, isn’t it? Work hard, find success, celebrate accomplishments and move on to the next goal. When you see a team or player celebrate success, use it as a reminder to not only celebrate your winning moments, but to create a space for others to do the same. Sharing a success statement in response to “How are you?” is one way to acknowledge your accomplishme...

March Madness is officially underway. What strategy did you use to fill out your brackets? 

Are you the type to go with top seeds? Looking for the upsets? Riding the hot hand? Mascot matchups? 

Notice that I'm assuming you're filling out at least one bracket. It's because you should. It's an easy way to connect with sports fans and there's literally zero pressure because there's never been a verified perfect bracket in the history of the NCAA Tournament. So what is there to lose? Nothing, but there's so many conversation starters to gain. There's also these topics making news this week.