--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It’s not that there’s no small talk…" description: "\"“It’s not that there’s no small talk, observes Strickland, the leader of the gathering. It’s that it comes not at the beginning of conversations but at..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d5/susan-cain-647_communication_it-s-not-that-there-s-no-small-talk-obse_3028581.jpg" --- # It’s not that there’s no small talk, observes Strickland… ![“It’s not that there’s no small talk, observes Strickland, the leader of the gathering. It’s that it comes not at the beginning of conversations but at the end. In most settings, people use small talk as a way of relaxing into a new relationship, and only once they’re comfortable do they connect…” quote by Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d5/susan-cain-647_communication_it-s-not-that-there-s-no-small-talk-obse_3028581.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d5/susan-cain-647_communication_it-s-not-that-there-s-no-small-talk-obse_3028581.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d5/susan-cain-647_communication_it-s-not-that-there-s-no-small-talk-obse_3028581.jpg) > ““It’s not that there’s no small talk, observes Strickland, the leader of the gathering. It’s that it comes not at the beginning of conversations but at the end. In most settings, people use small talk as a way of relaxing into a new relationship, and only once they’re comfortable do they connect more seriously. Sensitive people seem to do the reverse. They “enjoy small talk only after they’ve gone deep,” says Strickland. “When sensitive people are in environments that nurture their authenticity, they laugh and chitchat just as much as anyone else.”” [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Introverts often prefer deep conversation after establishing trust, not at the start. **In simple terms:** Introverts engage after building comfort. Key Takeaway Build trust before depth. Themes introversion communication trust Mood thoughtful encouraging Type social inspirational When to use this quote - team meetings - networking events - first dates - work collaborations Key Concepts psychology social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How can you create space for deep dialogue? - What signals show you’re ready for deeper talk? A Different Perspective May be misread as aloofness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Conversations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conversations/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [New relationship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-relationship/) [Sensitive People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sensitive-people/) [Small talk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-talk/) ## Related quotes > [It's not that there is no small talk...It's that it comes not at the beginning of conversations but at the end...Sensitive people...'enjoy small talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/it-s-not-that-there-is-no-small-talk-it-s-that-it-comes-not-at-the/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [“In most settings, people use small talk as a way of relaxing into a new relationship, and only once they’re comfortable do they connect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/in-most-settings-people-use-small-talk-as-a-way-of-relaxing-into-a/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [In the beginning conversations starts with great love and affection and with the passage of time it ends with Irritations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mudassir-qayyum/in-the-beginning-conversations-starts-with-great-love-and-affection/) Mudassir Qayyum > [“For example, highly sensitive people tend to be keen observers who look before they leap. They arrange their lives in ways that limit surprises.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/for-example-highly-sensitive-people-tend-to-be-keen-observers-who/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [“The conference is geared to people who enjoy meaningful discussions and sometimes "move a conversation to a deeper level, only to find out we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/the-conference-is-geared-to-people-who-enjoy-meaningful-discussions/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [ “The highly sensitive \[introverted\] tend to be philosophical or spiritual in their orientation, rather than materialistic or hedonistic. They dislike small talk. They often… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/the-highly-sensitive-introverted-tend-to-be-philosophical-or/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [“She: I am heartbroken. I don't believe in love. He: Sensitive people get heartbroken. 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I'm quite blunt and I know what I want - and songwriters are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonas-blue/i-don-t-get-along-with-many-people-especially-in-studios-i-m-quite/) [Jonas Blue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonas-blue/) > [The degree to which one is sensitive to other people's suffering, to other (people's) humanity, is the index of one's own humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-joshua-heschel/the-degree-to-which-one-is-sensitive-to-other-people-s-suffering-to/) [Abraham Joshua Heschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-joshua-heschel/) > [Sometimes my faith becomes more sensitive to how people feel, as opposed to what needs to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-luke/sometimes-my-faith-becomes-more-sensitive-to-how-people-feel-as/) [Derek Luke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-luke/) > [“My God, these Feeling types! ... Sensitive people are just tyrannical people - everybody else has to adapt to them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-louise-von-franz/my-god-these-feeling-types-sensitive-people-are-just-tyrannical/) [Marie-Louise von Franz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-louise-von-franz/) ## More by Susan Cain > [“Proverbs from the East: The wind howls, but the mountain remains still. Even though I make no special attempt to observe the discipline of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/proverbs-from-the-east-the-wind-howls-but-the-mountain-remains-still/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [“where we fall on the introvert-extrovert spectrum. 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