Conversation takes practice; the more we do it, the better we get, and the more easily we do it.
Small talk is the biggest talk we do.
Networking is an enrichment program, not an entitlement program.
Good listeners are perceived as good conversationalists.
Ninety percent of the people in any group are nice, raised to be polite, and have more in common than not.
They say, You can't give a smile away; it always comes back. The same is true of a kind word or a conversation starter. What goes around, comes around.
Spare me the people who ask, 'Have you thought about ... losing weight, hiring an assistant, buying a Pentium, working with an etiquette specialist, coloring your hair?
The rewards go to the risk-takers, those who are willing to put their egos on the line and reach out to other people and to a richer, fuller life for themselves.
It's not what you know or who you know, but who knows you.
Respect for people is the cornerstone of communication and networking.
The time spent identifying your base of contacts is an investment in your success and the success of others with whom you share your resources.
Be yourself' is good advice, unless you notice that people are always excusing themselves and moving away from you. In that case, try being someone else!