It starts in a living room, in a café, in a classroom or in a cramped corner of a conference hall. A few people share stories. Some laugh, some wince, some frown. But as voices echo off the walls, ...

Most people will tell you they hate small talk. It can feel awkward, especially when it steers to that blandest of topics, the weather. We turn to the weather when we can’t think of anything else to ...