Reference

The 3-Turn Small Talk Loop

A quick workplace pattern for sounding natural before meetings and during 1:1s.

1. Notice

Start with a shared, low-risk observation.

“Looks like we both survived the release week.” “I saw your comment on the design doc — helpful point.”

Ask a question that is easy to answer in one sentence.

“How did the rollout go on your side?” “How’s your week going so far?”

Connect their answer to a nearby topic, then ask one follow-up.

“That makes sense. Was the tricky part the migration or the coordination?” “Nice. Are you getting a calmer week now?”

“Good catching up. Shall we jump into the agenda?” “I’ll let you get back to it — thanks for sharing.”