The Lost Art of Mingling: How to Talk to Anyone, Anywhere

Brett McKay (0:00)

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Brett McKay here and welcome to another edition of the AOM Podcast, which since 2008 has featured conversations with the world's best authors, thinkers, and leaders that glean their edifying, life-improving insights without the fluff and filler. The AOM Podcast is just one part of the McKay mission to help individuals practice timeless virtues through thought, word, and deed. Also be sure to explore articles in artofmanliness.com, read the deeper dives we do in our sub-stack newsletter at dyingbread.net, and turn our content into real-world action by joining the Strenuous Life program at strenuouslife.com. Now on to the show.

It's always been intimidating to enter a room where you don't know everyone, or anyone, and to initiate conversation with people at a wedding, holiday party, or work event. But it's never felt more potentially awkward and anxiety generating than in an age dominated by screen-mediated interactions, when we don't get much practice mixing up social events and making small talk in real life. Here to help us get more confident and comfortable in this area is Jeanne Martinet, author of The Art of Mingling, which is out in a newly updated edition.

Jeanne last joined me on the podcast nearly a decade ago, and today she's back to share why the ability to mingle is more important than ever and how to get better at it. We discussed why small talk is more valuable than you might think, and can not only lead to finding a potential romantic partner or lifelong friend with something worth doing for its own sake. Jeanne then shares practical tips you can put to use at your next social gathering or simply when you're out and about. She explains how to identify people who are open to conversation, four ways to break the ice with them, as well as an opening line to avoid, how to keep a conversation going, how to gracefully extract yourself from an interaction that's gone on too long, how to recover from putting your foot in your mouth, and more. We end our conversation with how to find more opportunities to socialize and practice your mingling skills. After the show is over, check out our show notes at awim.is slash art of mingling.