Labor Day isn’t just a holiday for most people it’s also the unofficial end of summer, it traditionally marks the start of school, and it’s the point in time wearing white or seersucker becomes a faux pax. (If you’re into that sort of fashion advice.) 

Here’s what else today can do – get you set up for productive small talk the rest of the week. I know your brain is already going in a million different directions. Trying to think of something interesting (or coherent) can be a challenge, especially if you leave it up to chance during small talk. So, don’t. Brush up on these sports headlines and make it easier to think on your feet the rest of the week.

I talk for a living. Most often, I'm talking to athletes as part of my job.

Those conversations look a lot different these days.

There's no face-to-face interactions, no hugs as we welcome each other back for a new season. There are no casual conversations at their lockers while I make my rounds through the locker room. 

All media availability is done through video conferencing and most of my personal interactions are limited to waving or shouting "Hello!" across a football field. Those distanced interactions are better than nothing and important during the current state of a pandemic, but I also feel sad and left out.

Face-to-face conversations are one of the ways I stay connected with athletes, and all the people I work with. I can still do my job, but I wonder about the value I can provide without the same type of interactions. There's a loneliness and tension that's creeped in as a result. 

I'm not the only one who feels this way. I'm not the only one who's spiraled out as a...

Update Now?

My Ten Percent Happier meditation app asked that question every day for a week. Each day I clicked “Next time” because it just seemed like a hassle, like something that would take too much time, like something I didn’t want to deal with.

When I finally chose “Update Now?” it took less than 60 seconds and the app functioned better.

It got me thinking about other “Update now?” scenarios I have intentionally chosen to deal with “Next time.” My attitude is at the top of that list. There are also a few beliefs around work, my value and self-worth that need to be updated.

As leaders you probably don’t have the bandwidth to choose “Update now” for every situation, problem or challenge, but you also can’t select “Next time” every time and expect to maintain team morale, productivity or make a difference as a leader. 

Pick one thing you can choose to “Update Now” and give yourself 15 minutes to work on it.

Here’s a conversation starter and a challenge… What can you say outside of “good” when responding to the question, “How are you?”

There are literally dozens of words that are more interesting and convey a more genuine emotion than “good.” In addition, your response to “How are you?” directs and guides the conversation.

So, this week challenge yourself to respond with something better than “good.” Ask others about words they’d use in place of “good” and then throw in one of these sports conversation starters.  

There's a reason you’ve probably been told to “keep it simple” at some point. It's a reminder not to overthink or overcomplicate the process or the idea.

The advice gets doled out when making goals you actually want to keep, when problem-solving, presenting new ideas, creating new products and even decorating your house. 

Here’s another spot to keep it simple –  sports small talk.

Small talk with colleagues is not the time to overthink or prove how much you know. Small should be a relationship building activity. You need to be present and engaged in those moments. Keep the conversation starters simple – that doesn’t mean boring  - so you can fully engage in what your colleague is saying instead of coming up with your best retort or comeback.

These weekly sports #ConvoStarters are made for that purpose. There’s just enough information for you to engage in a short conversation that simply helps you build relationships.

 "What did I miss?" 

It's how you might start a conversation that's already in progress and it's an important starting point for every email you send while working from home. 

You might think you're at the beginning of a conversation and that your colleague or employee isn't missing anything, but without regular small talk or overhearing conversations at work they're missing pieces of information. 

Every email you send is like joining a conversation midstream. Make sure you include details that provide perspective. 

Among the many headlines I read in the last week this one stands out:

“The coronavirus has killed water-cooler chatter but it’s a key skill for business and happiness.”

Here’s the basic premise – no chitchat leads to feeling less connected to colleagues, less productivity and reduced social skills.

Small talk is, in fact, critical to business.

It’s one of the reasons I’ve committed to providing weekly sports conversation starters every week for the last 11 years.

Here’s a list of topics you can use this week.

You've probably noticed I talk about more than sports. There's a reason for that. 

As I mention in the video, there's a correlation between sports, communication skills and leadership. 

If you're not using sports fandom or sports experience to improve your communication skills or further develop your leadership abilities you're missing out. 

Talk Sporty to Me is not about game outcomes it's about the outcomes you create when you can connect with others, build relationships and lead others. 

Check out some of the blog posts and sign up for monthly or weekly emails. Send me an email: [email protected] if you're ready to provide your team effective communication training with a whole new twist. 

*NOTE: This article is not a commentary on masks, social distancing or other COVID-19 protocols. Please follow the guidelines established by your local and regional authorities.

I’m a sports broadcaster and professional speaker and I hate “thumbnail audiences.” 

I’d rather be talking to myself.

If you knew me as a kid (or realized how much I talk to myself during the day) this might not come as a surprise.

But here’s what came as a surprise to me: it’s 100 times easier to be on live TV in front of hundreds of thousands of people I can’t see than present to a thumbnail audience.

I’d rather be talking to myself.

I’ll admit there is value in using technology to connect. Virtual presentations are the norm these days out of necessity, but you might want to reconsider the impact of those messages. For those struggling to keynote with thumbnail audiences on Zoom, Microsoft Teams or WebEx there’s a reason for that. For those who continue to schedule such keynotes as if it’s the next best...

If there’s a three-day weekend on the horizon, but you’re working from home does it feel any different?

Here’s one way to break out the norm – tune into the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating competition July 4. This annual tradition will take place, but like everything else will look a little different. There won’t be an audience. The competition will take place inside, which means competitors get the advantage of air conditioning, and that might be the edge Joey Chestnut needs to break his own record of 74 hot dogs in 10 minutes. The 12-time champion thinks eating 77 hot dogs is a possibility this year.   

If that doesn’t sound exciting to you, maybe these other conversation starters will float your boat.