Man: Have you heard? The boss fancies his new assistant.
Woman: Really? How do you know?
Man: Last night I overheard them in the pub. They were planning to meet at the weekend.
Woman: Wow. Good for them. I’m not surprised. She seems to be a nice girl.
Man: A nice girl? Are you kidding? I can spot a gold digger a mile off.
Woman: I wouldn’t be so quick to judge people.
Man: She must be at least 20 years younger!
Woman: They are probably closer in age than you’d imagine. I happen to know that she is divorced with two big kids.
Man: No!
Woman: Yes, and whatever they do at the weekend is none of our business. Live and let live.
Man: You’re probably right. It’s just that I was really shocked. She looks so young. Do you think it’s plastic surgery?
Woman: Jim! She looks younger than she is but stop spreading rumours. You know what people are like, they blow up everything. Don’t you remember what happened after the Christmas party?
Man: How could I forget, with Donna trying to kill me the following day.
Woman: So you’d better drop the subject.

IMPORTANT PHRASES

Have you heard?–  Hallottad?  
How do you know? – Honnan tudod?
Good for them. – Jó nekik.
Are you kidding? – Viccelsz?
I can spot a gold digger a mile off. – Messziről észreveszem, ha valaki csak érdekkapcsolatot akar.
I happen to know …. . – Történetesen tudom, hogy … .
It’s none of our business.– Semmi közünk hozzá.
Live and let live.– Élni és élni hagyni.
You know what people are like. – Tudod, milyenek az emberek.
How could I forget! – Hogy is felejthetném el!
Drop the subject!– Ne foglalkozz vele! Ejtsd a témát!

Business is very largely based on trusting people, helping and being helped by people and persuading people to do things. How can you achieve any of those things if you don’t spend time getting to know each other?

When is this relationship-building supposed to happen? Outside of working hours? No, that’s not right if we accept that relationship building is real work. When we’re sitting at our computers or in our offices? No, that’s when we might need to avoid interruptions and stay focused. So, when, then? A lot of the best small talk happens accidentally: the classic situations are the queue for the photocopier, the coffee machine or the water cooler. But a much more systematic and effective way to build good relationships between people from different departments is to allow small talk to flourish in meetings.

Let’s get a few things straight about meetings: the whole point of bringing people together for meetings is to generate discussion, to resolve misunderstandings, and to find solutions to problems that people couldn’t find if they were working alone. If everything is carefully planned in advance, and the chair of the meeting sticks rigidly to the agenda, none of those things can take place. Of course, there’s a time when it’s appropriate for one person to talk and everyone else to listen and learn, but that’s a presentation, not a meeting.

If you’re serious about making your meetings more effective, you need to give the participants plenty of time to ask questions, take the conversation in new directions, say things which may or may not be relevant, and above all, get to know each other. Of course, you need to make sure things don’t get out of control, but that means finding a sensible balance between small talk and getting down to business.

A company which does not tolerate small talk may get things done more quickly, but that doesn’t mean it’ll do things the best way, making full use of the skills and ideas of its employees …and it may well find that it loses its best employees and its customers just as quickly.

Man: Hi, I just wanted to tell you I found your presentation very interesting.
Woman: Thank you. I’m glad you liked it.
Man: I was wondering if I could have a copy of the table on cost-cutting in the Human Resource Department. I’m planning to introduce something similar in our company and it would be a great starting point.
Woman: No problem, here you are. Which company do you work for?
Man: Sunshine Malt Factory. My name is George Smith, by the way.
Woman: Nice to meet you, George. So your company is planning to modernize HR?
Man: Yes, and I really liked your practical advice on how to introduce these changes. Do you think you could give me some tips where to start researching the topic?
Woman: Why don’t we discuss this in more detail over a coffee in a couple of minutes? I’ll just pack up here.
Man: Great. Shall I get you an espresso or a cappuccino?
Woman: An espresso, please. Thank you. I’ll catch up with you in a minute. Is the café on the first floor?
Man: Yes. See you there.

IMPORTANT PHRASES

I just wanted to tell you … .  – Csak el akartam mondani, hogy … .
I found your presentation very interesting. – Nagyon érdekesnek találtam az előadását.
I was wondering if … . – Azon gondolkodtam, vajon … .
No problem. – Semmi gond.
Here you are. – Tessék.
by the way – egyébként
Nice to meet you. – Örülök, hogy megismertem.
Do you think you could …? – Esetleg nem tudná … ?
Why don’t we discuss this? – Miért nem beszéljük ezt meg?
in a couple of minutes – pár percen belül, pár perc múlva
Shall I get you … ? – Hozzak Önnek,/Kérjek  … ?
See you there. – Ott találkozunk.