I'm so bad at small talk with leadership... tips?

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The one who controls small talk can control the conversation.

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Don't talk politics!!

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It's all about great open ended questions!

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Yes AD, we are in agreement

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lol congrats you report to the CEO. 👏🏼👏🏼 that means you either have a 10 person organization or a really idiotic account structure. either way, who cares. and your info is pulled and confirmed through linkedin. you're an AD. but it's cool. i'm truly grateful you're teaching your "team" such valuable lessons about assumptions. they're so lucky to have you as a boss, AD with a much more important full title.

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Huge, a title is simply a title; its not an excuse to be rude or insulting to any one. No one is saying don't discuss politics, but just be careful as sometimes you never truly know where a person stands. Some people play along to see where you stand or to just avoid uncomfortable energy. However, if you feel strongly that you know 110% where your clients and everyone who you work with stands, then carry on. Life is never one size fits all.

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Nope, not my reco no matter how much you "know". Sooner or later you'll say something "wrong", best to not get into that... Politics at work is all around bad idea in principle. Only if it somehow is related to business like.changing policy affecting the ad industry or the client's.

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and i'm in a more senior account position than you so, something's working.

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I have to agree with Huge...my whole team thought we were all not in favor of Trump and would have conversations and even discuss my EVP attending the women's march. Come to find out one day one of our team mates who never really joined the conversation but would smile and nod is a Trump supporter. Everyone was like huh?! How did we miss that. So you might think majority are in the same reasoning category as you but you never really know. Tread carefully! Just word of advice.

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@Account Director OP, except for the politics, I agree with the advice.

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Just remember they are just human and not much different than you. Similar things keep them up at night. I have had great conversations with our NAM CEO and Global CEO, head of media, etc. even a good conversation once with Rob Norman

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Same here.

totally depends on the personality. serious? ask how things are going with new business, any exciting prospects, how great xyz thing that leadership did recently was (blah blah), mention an exciting project you're working on; if they're less serious, make a joke or two, ask how are the kids, any vacations planned; if they're cool and you know where they fall on the political spectrum, you can commiserate about current events (be careful here only if you're positive where they fall).

don't you small talk with clients? we're account - that's our job. just approach it the same way.

@Ad1 as i said, you can talk about politics if you know they hate trump which is almost everyone.

no matter how much you "know" *them

ok you do you. i've gotten on just fine.

Publicis, seems like you agree with me.
Huge, my advice and response is to OP. Your defensiveness and presumptions and other comment about titles is a reflection of you and your insecurities. It has nothing to do with me and what I do, no worries.

lol "defensiveness and presumptions" - what? sounds like you're the one presuming. i simply said i'm more senior than you (not an insecurity, i just objectively am) and have discussed politics with leadership before and it's clear i turned out just fine. but thanks for the psych eval! 👍🏼

Huge, my full title is not listed on Fishbowl. I report directly to the CEO. About presumptions... Title is not solely representative of knowledge, experience, or maturity. Don't make assumptions is the biggest thing I try to teach my team. Works in all areas of life.

Too long to explain (or point your further assumptions), but you start to sound more and more junior. Quick tip, you can edit your title field from your profile settings on Fishbowl.

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